Opposition brings smile to CM's face!

Why is Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy smiling when two Opposition parties are threatening to bring his government down through a no- confidence motion? Everything has been going in Kiran Reddy's favour for some months. He may not have many friends in his own party, but he does need friends when he has enemies like the present Opposition leaders. Kiran will perhaps be the first chief minister in the history of Andhra Pradesh to face a no-confidence motion twice in the same Assembly. He defeated the first one on December 6, 2011. He is sure to do the same whenever Speaker Nadendla Manohar allows voting on the second. The scenes of Governor ESL Narasimham reading his speech on Wednesday to inaugurate budget session in a hurried manner as though something was haunting him amid the usual slogans by protagonists of Telangana and flying pieces of papers containing his speech have become rather routine and boring. One additional depressing feature this time is the presence of the police personnel in the vicinity of the House; they seemed to outnumber the honourable members by at least one to 10. One feels sorry for the Governor who was mandated to go by the unimaginative narrative provided by the State government and also for the people's representatives who are not able to find a decent method of expressing protest and resentment against the government that has failed to address the grievances of the people. Otherwise, it is a unique budget session since it is adopting the system of standing committees, to examine important demands, that has been in vogue in Parliament. Nadendla Manohar, the young Speaker, deserves kudos for the innovative ideas he has been able to implement, like taking a hundred legislators to Paderu to show them the difficult lives of the tribal people or leading a batch of some 20 lawmakers to Nalgonda to see the pitiable plight of Fluoride victims. We, the hapless people, have had the mortification of witnessing the cacophony in the House, thanks to the obstructionist ways of the Opposition and obscurantist methods of the ruling dispensation that did not allow any meaningful debate resulting in a number of important demands being guillotined at the end of every session.

The system of standing committees, which will have members from both the Houses across all political parties, brings in a welcome change. We can only hope that the standing committees would conduct themselves in a dignified and purposeful manner in which the welfare of the people, rather than partisan interests, would be considered paramount The system of standing committees, which will have members from both the Houses across all political parties, brings in a welcome change. We can only hope that the standing committees would conduct themselves in a dignified and purposeful manner in which the welfare of the people, rather than partisan interests, would be considered paramount. This will be adding another feather to Kiran Kumar Reddy's cap since it is happening during his tenure. The most important campaign theme for the Congress party in the coming elections, chiefly in AP and also in other States if the UPA grabs the opportunity, would be AP SC Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan (Planning, allocation and utilisation of financial resources) Act, 2013. This Act No. 1/2013 was possible because of mobilization of popular support and the unconditional approval of the chief minister. The image of Kiran Reddy which was taking a rude beating for almost two years went up by a few notches when he asserted himself in implementing the rule of law. This path-breaking Act has provided a spring in his feet. Going for a separate budget for agriculture, emulating Karnataka, also is a new initiative by the government. While Anam Narayana Reddy will present the general budget, Kanna Laxminarayana will make an elaborate presentation of agriculture budget for the first time. This is the last full-fledged budget session before the 2014 general election, to introduce new methods. It will be only a vote-on-account before next elections. That the government could announce a steep hike in power charges on the eve of the budget session shows its 'could not care less' attitude thanks to the divided and bickering Opposition. The ruling party can get away with sky-rocketing prices, eight to twelve hours of power cut in rural areas and the escalating problem of drinking water since the Opposition parties are busy with one-upmanship and mutual recrimination. Why should the government fear a no-trust motion or two? No confidence motions are moved to grill the government and vote it out. Now we find a curious circus unfolding before us where one Opposition party wishes to move a no-trust motion to prove that it is not colluding with the ruling party and that other Opposition parties are in league with the latter. There are only two political parties in the State which welcomeearly elections: The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). Both of them have declared their intention to move a no- confidence motion, albeit separately. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) distanced itself from both the parties, alleging that both have undeclared understanding with the Congress high command. Chandrababu Naidu, the supreme leader of the TDP who is on a rigorous walkathon going beyond 2,000 kilometers, has made it clear that his party is not going to support the no-trust move at this juncture. He obviously feels that this is not a suitable time for the TDP to go for elections. He should know better since he has been moving among the people in rural areas. Finding fault with Naidu for not moving a no-trust move himself and refusing to support the motion to be introduced by other party, YSRCP and TRS leaders railed him as protector of the Congress governments both in Hyderabad and at Delhi. The YSRCP, in particular, does not tire of citing the instance when a couple of MPs belonging to the TDP had skipped voting on the no-trust move against the UPA government and Naidu failed to take any punitive action against them.

The ruling party can get away with sky-rocketing prices, eight to twelve hours of power cut in rural areas and the escalating problem of drinking water since the Opposition parties are busy with one-upmanship and mutual recrimination. Why should the government fear a no-trust motion or two? TRS leader K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR) has increased his public appearances of late and has been indulging in Naidu-bashing on daily basis. While the no-trust move was against the Congress government, the scathing attack by both the movers was reserved for the fellow Opposition party, the TDP. Who can be more blessed than Kiran Reddy? There were some anxious moments when the no-trust move was first mooted. The chief minister had quick meetings with his Cabinet colleagues and party leaders. The Congress has, or used to have, 155 members plus an Independent in Kuna Srisailam Yadav. Eight MLAs have visited Jagan at Charlapalli jail. Out of the eight, one Sivaprasad Reddy of Darsi in Prakasam district is reportedly toying with the idea of staying put with the ruling party. If the remaining seven MLAs support the no-confidence motion to be moved by the YSRCP, the Congress would disqualify them on the spot. The latest game-plan seems to be to go in for a debate on the no-trust motion whatever may be the end result. When the Speakers calls for the members supporting the notice given by TRS to stand up, the YSRCP members also would be on their feet along with those of TRS, CPI, BJP, CPM, Loksatta and Nagam Janardhan Reddy. The same thing will happen when the notice given by the YSRCP is put to test. CPM and Lok Satta seem to have taken a principled stand of not signing on the notice but standing up in the House in support of the move. Without unity among all the Opposition parties, it will be impossible to get anywhere near the magic number of 148 in a House of 294 members with one Anglo-Indian appointed by the Governor. Two MLAs who face criminal charges in courts have no voting right. The attitude of the MIM is not known. Whatever may be the truth in the allegations against the TDP, it is a fact that both the TDP and the Congress don't prefer early elections. Both fervently hope that the longer Jagan languishes in jail the weaker would his party become. Any one deserting the YSRCP will be returning to the Congress. Those who left the TDP to join the YSRCP would also go back to the mother party if they so want. The return of the prodigal will be strengthening both the parties, making way for a level playing field between the three of them. The dynamics in Telangana may be different due to the presence of the TRS. In the run-up to the general elections, the TDP wants to prove that the YSRCP is as good as in the Congress pocket. Naidu has spoken of the interview given by YSRCP honorary president Vijayamma to the Economic Times the other day. The story was displayed on the front page with a slightly loaded headline. The TRS leaders would go out of the way to blame the TDP for the non-resolution of the Telangana tangle. Known for harsh and powerful idiom, the TRS leaders accuse Naidu of safeguarding the UPA and the Congress government in the State. The YSRCP's main target is Naidu. Kiran Reddy does not indulge in harsh language. He does not criticize nor does he reply to criticism by the Opposition. He is cool and is sitting pretty. No wonder that he is confident of completing the full term.