It is nothing but natural in politics that when the ruling party tries to bulldoze its decisions, the opposition parties try to stall them by all means. It is all in the game.
That is what had happened in the Andhra Pradesh state legislative council on Tuesday night, when the Telugu Desam Party successfully stalled the passage of two crucial bills pertaining to the state capital.
On Monday night, the YSR Congress party government could easily get the two bills passed - one on repealing AP Capital Region Development Authority Act enacted in 2014 to develop Amaravati as the state capital and the second one on creation of three capitals as part of decentralised administration, in the state assembly by virtue of its brute majority and suspending the opposition members.
And it was the turn of the TDP to stall the bills in the legislative council on Tuesday, thanks to its majority, by invoking Rule 71 of the legislative proceedings which allows for a debate on disapproving the government bills. Despite the floor-crossing by two of its MLCs, the TDP won the debate with 27-13 majority over YSRC.
It was a temporary setback for the ruling party, no doubt, but it does not mean the TDP can stop the Jagan Mohan Reddy government from going ahead with its plan of creating three capitals and doing away with APCRDA.
Even if the legislative council rejects the bills, the ruling party would reintroduce them in the assembly and see that they are “deemed to have been passed.”
Even if the bills are sent to select committee, as per the TDP plan, it can only delay the process of capital shift and Jagan can still go ahead with his plan a couple of months later, if not immediately.
The pro-TDP Telugu dailies – Eenadu and Andhra Jyothy – tried to project as if it is a big victory for the TDP and a big shock to the YSRC government.
“Sarkaaruku Shock,” screamed the headline of Eenadu’s banner story which went on to explain how the TDP successfully thwarted the attempts of the YSRC to bulldoze the bills.
It also gave a big coverage of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu’s statement that the YSRC government had faced a moral and technical defeat in the legislative council.
Andhra Jyothy banner story said: “Mooduku Brake,” indicating that the TDP had applied brakes to the three capitals plan.
Sakshi, however, sought to project the TDP as a major villain the entire exercise. “Sasana Mandali lo TDP Saindhava Patra,” said its headline, explaining how the opposition party played the obstructive role in the Upper House in preventing the bills that had been passed by the house of people.
It also projected chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s strong attack on the TDP, saying the opposition party was displaying mindless stand and dirty politics.
Apart from highlighting the continued agitation by Amaravati farmers who had observed a shutdown in the capital region, the pro-TDP papers have also given huge coverage to “guest-artiste in politics” and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan’s speech at Mangalagiri, where he said he would not sleep till he pulls down the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
Interestingly, both these dailies competed with Sakshi in giving a big coverage to Jagan’s speech in the assembly on education reforms, Amma Vodi scheme, the new scheme of “Jagananna Goru Mudda” (mid-day meals scheme) and the proposed scheme of Jagananna Vidya Kanuka.
The only other major story that made it the headlines in the front pages of all the dailies was the Supreme Court’s ruling to the legislature speakers that they should take quick decisions on the disqualification petitions, instead of sitting on them for years together.