The appointment of a record number of 15 MLAs as whips in the Andhra Pradesh assembly by Telugu Desam Party president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has triggered an interesting discussion in the political circles.
While Vinukonda MLA G V Anjaneyulu has been appointed as chief whip of the government with cabinet minister rank, Naidu appointed as many as 15 MLAs – 11 from TDP, three from Jana Sena and one from BJP – as the whips.
This is for the first time that so many whips have been appointed in the state assembly.
According to an analyst, even in the combined Andhra Pradesh with 294 MLAs in the assembly, there were not so many whips for the government.
“First of all, there is no provision of whips in the Constitution, but there is such a tradition in the legislative procedures in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Though there is no specific rule about the number of whips for any political party, the general tradition is that a party having more than 45 members can have two or three whips,” an analyst said.
The whips do not have any special privileges, but are like any other MLAs. Their task is to ensure that members of the party vote according to the party policy rather than their individual beliefs.
“They should see their fellow political party legislators attend voting sessions and vote according to their party's official policy. If any member violates the party policy, the whip can recommend the expulsion of that member from the party,” the analyst said.
Since the NDA partners have a brute majority in the Andhra assembly, there is hardly any chance of any member violating the party directions and vote against the government in the assembly.
“So, it would have been enough had Naidu appointed two or three whips, apart from the chief whip. Yet, he appointed 15 whips, apparently to give them some status and position, though such a position doesn’t have any additional privileges,” he added.