Amid talk of the draft Bill on Telangana being forwarded to the State Assembly before the month end, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Speaker Nadendla Manohar are reportedly locked in a battle of wits over proroguing the House.
Sources said a letter was sent a fortnight ago from the Chief Minister’s office asking the Speaker to prorogue the Assembly. As the Speaker was away in his constituency in Tenali since the last nine days attending Rachabanda programmes, a reply was not sent.
The Assembly adjourned sine die on June 21 this year and is mandated to meet again within six months, that is before December 20. But, it could meet sooner for a special session once the President sends the draft Bill for the Assembly’s opinion.
The Chief Minister was reportedly keen on proroguing the House immediately because it would take 10 days for issuing a fresh notification to convene the Assembly. However, the Speaker’s office is at liberty to convene the House at short notice, say three days, if the Assembly is not prorogued.
It is here that the two leaders reportedly differ. The Speaker’s camp is questioning the Chief Minister’s urgency to get the House prorogued when he had not bothered to do so since five months.
Mr. Reddy’s followers fear that the Speaker may not heed the letter and delay sending a reply and proceed according to the laid down procedures.
Another issue that has not gone down well with the Congress leaders is the talk of moving a no-confidence motion against the Speaker during the special session. Former Ministers J.C. Diwakar Reddy and Gade Venkat Reddy – said there was no need for a no-confidence motion. “What mistake has the Speaker committed to deserve such action?” Mr. Diwakar Reddy asked.