Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has reportedly decided to dissolve the Legislative Council. The CM has allegedly asked the law department to prepare a draft bill that is withdrawing the Council. The bill is likely to be introduced in the assembly session starting on Monday.
Jagan has decided to abolish the Upper House after the TDP, rejecting the Bills passed by the Legislative Assembly. The TDP has an absolute majority in the 58-member Legislative Council, and It rejected bills related to the introduction of English as a medium of instruction in government schools in the winter session held in December.
Since the YSR Congress does not have a majority to get the bills smoothly shortly, Jagan has decided to abolish the Council. The law department has already prepared a draft bill and sent it to the CM for consideration late Sunday evening.
It will be the second time that the AP Legislative Council abolished. Interestingly, it first dismantled in 1985. When the TDP came to power, and the Congress had a majority in the Council. Former Chief Minister K. Rosaiah was the leader of the House at that time, and the Congress gave the TDP government headed by NT Rama Rao a difficult time.
However, the Council was reinstated in 2007 by Jagan’s father and the then CM, the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, before the 2009 general election. Although the YSR Congress has an absolute majority in the Legislative Assembly – 151 out of 175 members – the bills passed by the Legislative Council are challenging to obtain. Jaganmohan Reddy is giving a tough time to the government in the TDP council led by senior politician Yanamala Ramakrishnudu.
Jagan likely to have a table of essential bills, including the decentralization of capital and the abolition of the APCRDA Act, and the statements are unlikely to be approved by the Council. Therefore, the CM has decided to abolish the Council in this session. Apart from having the majority, the post of president and vice-chairman of Council are also held by TDP members, which also seen by Jagan as the reason for the abolition of the House.