By Mohd Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker accepted the no-confidence motion put forward by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) against the congress government of the state. There will be discussions on the motion for two days [Sunday and Monday] and then by Monday evening the no-confidence motion will be put to vote.
Clearing their stand on the non-confidence motion, TDP alleged that the congress doesn’t have the moral right to rule as they are a big failure in solving the problems faced by farmers in Andhra. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti [TRS] has supported the motion because of the failure from the part of the government in placing a resolution in favour of the separate Telengana state.
Congress was confident of overcoming any such motions until recently, as they were assured of sufficient votes by the recent merger of Praja Rajyam Party [PRP] of Chiranjeevi, having 18 MLA’s and with 24 rebel MLA’s of the party returning back from the YSR congress.
Now they indeed have a reason to worry with the PRP MLA’s taking advantage of the situation. Yesterday they all met Chiranjeevi and complained of discrimination against them in the congress fold. Chiranjivee too seemed not happy as he wasn’t yet allotted with the already assured Rajya sabha membership and a union ministry post. Yesterday union minister and congress in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Ghulam Nabi Azad called Chiranjivee and advised him not to take hasty decisions in impatience.
Later, the congress government was in all sought of trouble, as the 24 rebel MLA’s attended the meeting called by YSR congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his residence. They all pledged to vote against the government, but these MLA s have however been swinging back and forth like a pendulum during the last two weeks.
If the status quo is maintained then it will be easy for the congress to cross the half way mark, even if rebel MLA s vote against them they would sail away with the support of 18 MLA’s from PRP and their other allies like Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen [MIM’s] having 7 MLA’s to vote against the motion. The horse trading seems to be at its threshold height with attempts from either sides to force MLA’s, who aren’t yet sure on opposing or favouring the motion. The congress had issued a whip to its members, while the other parties are expected to do the same as well.
The 294 member assembly is now filled only up to a total strength of 287. The parties who are going to vote against the congress and their strengths are as follows: TDP-86, TRS-12, CPI-04, BJP-02, CPI (M) -01, YSR congress [official]-01- but they have the support from 24 rebel MLA s, Lok Satta Party [LSP]-01and one Independent MLA. Congress will have to get the support of 144 MLA’s to beat the motion.