Andhra Pradesh: Cabinet approves proposal to abolish Legislative Council

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has taken the decision to abolish the Legislative Council after a thorough discussion.

Minister for Finance and Legislative Affairs Buggana Rajendranath Reddy would introduce a resolution in the Assembly today for taking up a debate.

After the Assembly passed the resolution, it would be sent to the central government. The cabinet discussed the legal and political consequences while approving the proposal for scrapping Council, sources said.

It may be mentioned here that the AP Legislative Council did not pass the bill for the establishment of three capitals which was passed by the Legislative Assembly on January 20.

Council Chairman Shariff Mohammed Ahmed had referred the bill to the ‘Select Committee” on January 21.

Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has 28 members in the 58 member Legislative Council while the YSRCP has 9 members. The BJP has two members, Independents 3 and there are 8 nominated members.

Two Ministers in the Cabinet---Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and Mopidevi Venkata Ramana are members in the Legislative Council.

The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy headed government understood that it is not possible for the ruling party to get the bills passed in the Legislative Council and hence it had decided to abolish it.

Meanwhile, the TDP held its Legislature party meeting in the party’ state office at Mangalagiri on Monday. It discussed the government’s proposal to abolish the Legislative Council.

Talking to media, TDP Floor leader in the Legislative Council, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said that there is a process to be followed to abolish the Legislative Council and it will take about two years time to complete it.

The AP Legislative Council was abolished during the regime of TDP founder and then Chief Minister N T Rama Rao on May 31, 1985. However, the Legislative Council was revived during the regime of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on March 30, 2007 in the united AP State.

Significantly, then Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy revived the Legislative Council and his son Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy proposed to abolish the same, TDP leaders said.