Andhra Pradesh: Budget session begins today, set to be stormy

Hyderabad: Budget for 2016-17 will be the main agenda in the Andhra Pradesh Legislature session beginning here Saturday but many other contentious issues are expected to dominate the proceedings given the ongoing political fight between the ruling Telugu Desam and the Opposition YSR Congress.

For the first time, Governor ESL Narasimhan will address the joint session of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly at 3 pm today as he will be in Chennai in the morning for personal work. Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu will be present the General Budget on March 10 while Agriculture Minister P Pulla Rao will present his department's budget the same day.

In all, there will be 18 working days in the Budget session as the Appropriation Bill is expected to be taken up on March 29. There is no clarity yet on the government's agenda like introduction of bills during the session.

"We will have some clarity on this in a day or two," government Chief Whip Kalva Srinivasulu said. YSRC, however, seems to have a loaded agenda on its hands as it plans to move a no-confidence motion against the government.

With eight of its 67 MLAs crossing over to the ruling party so far, YSRC's game plan is to get them disqualified using the no-confidence motion as a tool. By moving a no-confidence motion, YSRC gets to issue a whip to its MLAs and whoever violates it will be liable for disqualification.

The year-long suspension imposed on its MLA RK Roja in the Winter Session for her use of unparliamentary and abusive language against some TDP members will also be taken up by YSRC as the special committee headed by Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad will submit its report on the issue to the House.

YSRC is also studying relevant rules to possibly move a no-confidence motion against Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao. "We will move the motions as per the rules," YSRC Deputy Leader in the Assembly Jyothula Nehru said. He had also said they might move a no-confidence motion if the state budget is not satisfactory.

"The TDP government so far failed to keep its promises and has been adopting anti-people policies. If the budget is not satisfactory, we will move a no-confidence motion against the government ," Nehru had said after a meeting of the YSRC Legislature Party on March 1.

Some YSRC members feel that this can build a strong legal case against its MLAs who switched over to the ruling party. By moving a no-confidence motion, YSRC gets to issue a whip to its MLAs, and whoever violates it will be liable for disqualification.

TDP and YSRC have been engaged in a war of words, with the latter alleging that ruling party leaders have purchased lands "illegally" in the capital city region of Amaravati by "misusing" power. YSRC has also sought a probe in its allegations. YSRC also accused the TDP government of not implementing its poll promises like loan waivers for farmers, women self- help groups and doles to the unemployed youth.

TDP failed to get the promises, including special status, railway zone at Visakhapatnam, bridging the revenue deficit, made to it by the Centre during state bifurcation in 2014, the Opposition party has alleged.

Apart from this, the recent exposures in Sakshi media, owned by YSRC president YS Jaganmohan Reddy, on the alleged dubious land deals by certain ministers, legislators and leaders of TDP in the capital region Amaravati are sure to generate heat in the Assembly. The Kapu reservation issue is another one that may come up for intense debate.