Naidu wants Governor to reconvene Assembly

Tough stand: Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu accompanied by party legislators coming out after meeting Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in Hyderabad on Saturday.

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party has sought Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan's intervention on Saturday in re-convening the Assembly for taking up its no confidence motion against the Kiran Kumar Reddy government.

Leading a large delegation of Telugu Desam Party MLAs to the Raj Bhavan, party president N. Chandrababu Naidu informed the Governor that his party had submitted notices on the no confidence motion twice but there was no word from the Assembly Speaker.

Logical end

The party was prepared to serve another if necessary and it was determined to take it to the logical end, to highlight the government's indifference towards farmers.

Talking to reporters later, he said the newly elected Deputy Speaker has not followed clearly laid down procedures and left the House after adjourning it sine die, without taking up their motion for grant of leave. This is nothing but wilful violation of Rules of Busines. Once the notice is served, the Speaker is bound to take it up and make the government prove its strength as per constitutional procedures, he said.

Voice vote

The party also pointed to the Governor, that election to the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker too were conducted in authoritarian manner. It was made clear on Friday that a secret ballot would be followed but the pro tem speaker, J. C. Diwakar Reddy, allowed voice vote and declared the election of the Speaker without even looking at the nominations filed by the TDP.

Jagan criticised

Mr. Naidu accused the YSR Congress Party with reaching a “settlement” with the Congress leaders of Delhi on saving the government. Otherwise there is no reason Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy did not use the opportunity to show his strength by voting against the Congress candidates.

Mr. Jagan who had boasted that the Congress government is surviving at his mercy virtually ran away when a chance came his way to embarrass the government, he added.