President gives one week more

Sonia meets senior leaders on Kiran issue, T Bill passage

• Pranab extends time till January 30 to discuss Bill
• AP Government sought extension till February 20
• In effect, it is 6 days as legislature closes on 26th
• Last Parliament session from February 5 to 21
• Poll schedule likely by Feb-end or early March
• Cong keen to see Bill through in this session

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday gave a further extension of seven days to the Andhra Pradesh Legislature for “expressing its views,” on the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Bill, 2013.

The President in his order stated, “After considering the need for the expeditious introduction of the Bill in Parliament, I hereby allow a further period till the thirtieth day of January, 2014, to the Legislature of the State of Andhra Pradesh for expressing its views on the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Bill, 2013.”

As desired by the President in his order that the Bill should be “introduced in Parliament, as early as practicable,” Congress President Sonia Gandhi discussed the issue with senior leaders of the party, Digvijay Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad and A K Antony on the party’s strategy to get the Telangana Bill passed in the upcoming session of Parliament.

Though the meeting was initially called to discuss party’s programmes to celebrate India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s 125 birth anniversary, for most part of the time, the meeting discussed Telangana.

The possibility of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy quitting and floating a new political outfit also figured in the meeting. It may be mentioned here that the deadline for completing the discussion on the draft T Bill in the Andhra Pradesh assembly was to come to an end on Thursday. The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Chief Secretary P K Mohanty had written separate letters to the President, seeking four weeks extension since the discussion on the Bill could not commence due to continued ruckus in the legislature.

The President on Wednesday sought the opinion of Attorney General Vahanvati on the issue. It is learnt that the Attorney General told the President that constitutionally more time can be granted to the State Assembly, but he did not specify any time limit. Before the President took a final decision, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde called on him and discussed the issue with him. He is also said to have advised the President not to give more than one week time to the Assembly.

The Telangana leaders feel that this extension will not affect the introduction of the T Bill in Parliament whose Session commences on February 5 and will last till February 21. This will be the last session of Parliament before the Lok Sabha polls, which leaves the Government with a small window of 22 days to complete the process and pass the Bill. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has convened the meeting of political parties on February 4 to chalk out its blueprint on holding Lok Sabha polls. The Congress is in a hurry to get the Bill passed before the election schedule is announced by February-end or early March, as there will be no scope for further extending the Parliament Session. The model code of conduct comes into force immediately, with the announcement of the poll schedule.

Sonia Gandhi is not prepared to take any chances on Telangana Bill. Though it can be passed by a voice-vote, she, it is learnt, has asked the senior leaders to also approach the BJP and seek its support for the crucial Bill, in case anyone presses for division.