'At Last, Kiran Govt In AP Survived'

No-confidence motion against the Congress Government failed, as expected.The no-confidence motion secured 58 votes. With Jogi Ramesh’s joining, the total number of Congress MLAs crossed over to the YSR swells to nine.  The Congress secured 142 votes. As many as 64 legislators stayed neutral. It is not the question of survival of the Government for want of strength. What became interesting towards the end of the protracted session of the State Legislative Assembly on the no-confidence motion moved by TRS floor leader Etela Rajender was whether the Government still enjoyed a majority in the House.

Pedana MLA from Congress Jogi Ramesh sprang a surprise by standing in favour of the no-confidence motion against the Government.

The magic figure as of now is 147, for two MLAs – Janardhan Thatraj and Suman Rathod – do not have voting right due to Supreme Court order.

The TDP remained neutral to the motion, thus staying away from the voting. Even Lok Satha’s N Jayaprakash Narayana and CPI (M) legislator Julakanti Ranga Reddy also did not participate in voting.

The Congress may seek their disqualification by serving a notice to the Speaker. The Telugu Desam Party too would follow suit. Because, the defiant legislators had violated the party fiat. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen (MIM) which fretted and fumed against the Congress stayed away from voting.

As S Venugoapalchary stayed away from “open defiance” of the party whip, action against him may not be possible. Though Harishwar Reddy did not vote in favour of the no-confidence motion, he second it when it was being taken up. It is yet to be seen if the TDP would go harsh on him and have his membership axed through disqualification. Interestingly, the TDP has no reason to be kind to any impudent legislator of its side.

Nine TDP legislators, including Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu, Gangula Kamalakar, Ambati Brahmanaiah, Chintamaneni Prabhakar, Uma Madhava Reddy, Prathipati Pulla Rao, and T V Rama Rao, stayed away from the House owing to different reasons.

On the Congress side, two MLAs – Korla Bharati, Marri Shashidhar Reddy – were not available in Hyderabad. While Shashidhar Reddy informed the Chief Minister that he could not attend as he was away in Delhi, Bharati is abroad. TDP rebel MLA S Venugopalachary who was expected to join the TRS bandwagon at the time of seconding the no-confidence motion itself, however, was not present at the time of voting.

Ministers and senior leaders of the Congress are searching for missing MLAs. Former minister P Shanker Rao came in a wheel-chair. Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Aruna Kumar began persuading Jogi Ramesh who was veering towards the YSR Congress. In fact, Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu was also said to be tilting to vote for the motion of no-confidence.

The MLAs who sided with YSRC and voted in favour of the motion from the Congress side are: Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy, Alla Nani, Rajah Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao, M Rajesh,  Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy, Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Perni Nani, Buchepalli Sivaprasada Reddy.

The MLAs from the TDP who switched sides to YSRC – N Amaranth Reddy, Y Balanagi Reddy, A V Praveen Kumar Reddy, Kodali Srivenkateswara Rao, Sai Raj, and Thaneti Vanitha.

Amid all this, a beaming Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy made the longest speech on the floor of the House as a reply to the no-confidence motion and went on explaining the various issues which he perceived as his government’s achievements. He tried to poke fun and sarcasm against the opposition, but he could not.