The main Opposition BJP while supporting “bifurcation” of Andhra Pradesh is not sure as to how the Government would pass the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill for creation of a separate Telangana that may also “require Constitutional amendments.”
In the run-up to the proposed introduction of the controversial bill, the Prime Minister on Monday personally called up senior BJP leader lK Advani, party President Rajnath Singh, and leaders of the Opposition in both lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley respectively for lunch at his residence on Wednesday. According to the BJP leaders, a meeting was earlier scheduled for Monday, but was postponed on account of non-availability of Advani, who was away in his Gandhinagar constituency.
Asked about the contents of the Bill agreed upon by the BJP, party spokesperson Prakash Javadakar said, “We are not sure whether the Government is bringing constitutional amendments to include new provisions in the Bill.” The Constitutional amendments need a mandatory backing of a 2/3rd majority of the members present in the each house of the Parliament. The “new bill” is said to have provided for Hyderabad as a joint Capital of Telangana and Seemandhra regions and vesting law and order — a State subject — of city to the Governor of the State, a Central representative.
Another senior BJP leader was of a view that the Bill, if passed, would be “a faulty one”. Some of the party leaders maintained that the Government was “floating balloons” on “such a sensitive subject” and not spelling out full facts contained in the bill. Asked about the official stand of the party on the Cabinet-approved Telangna bill, BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman told The Pioneer that the Government bill has not yet been circulated to the party.
“The party is in favour of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and we wish to ensure that justice is done to each and every region of the State — Rayalaseema, Coastal Andhra and Telangna,” she said.