In 2020, after delays in passing Bills, the Jagan Mohan Reddy-government passed a resolution in the Assembly to scrap the Council.
Last year, Jagan reversed his decision to abolish the 58-member state Legislative Council. (YS Jagan Mohan Reddy/Twitter)
In a few months, Andhra Pradesh’s ruling YSRCP will have gained complete dominance in the Upper House of the state — the Legislative Council — which two years ago Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wanted to abolish.
Jagan reversed his decision to abolish the 58-member state Legislative Council — in which the Opposition TDP’s strength will now drop to a meagre four — last year.
At present, the YSRCP has 32 MLCs in the state Council, followed by 15 members of the TDP, four members of the Progressive Democratic Front (representing teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies), two BJP members, and four Independents.
As many as 23 seats under various categories in the Upper House will soon fall vacant in three phases this year, due to the completion of terms of the sitting members. They will be replaced by new members.
Of them, 14 members will retire by 29 March, seven by 1 May, and two others by 20 July.
The total seats that will become vacant include five YSRCP seats, 11 TDP seats, two BJP seats, and those elected under the MLA quota and on the governor’s recommendation or nomination.
The list also includes five graduates’ and teachers’ constituencies.
With the existing simple majority of 151 MLAs, the defection of four TDP MLAs, and also the capture of 90 percent of the local bodies, the YSRCP is all set to not only retain its five seats that will fall vacant but also capture 11 from the TDP, two of BJP and one from the governor’s quota.
This will effectively leave the TDP with just four members — Yanamala Rama Krishnudu, P Ashok Babu, D Rama Rao, and V Tirumala Naidu — in the Upper House.
TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh, Manthena Satyanarayana Raju, Chikkala Ramachandra Rao, B Tech Ravi, G Deepak Reddy, KE Prabhakar, Angara Ramamohan, and Bachula Arjunudu are among the 11 members from the Opposition party who will be vacating their seats this year.
For the MLC elections under the graduates’ quota, Jagan has already announced party candidates. The YSRCP is contemplating fielding its candidates for the teachers’ constituencies as well.
The YSRCP is expected to capture them due to the overwhelming majority it has been enjoying in the state.
On 27 January, 2020, after the TDP blocked the Three Capitals Bill as it had a majority in the Upper House at that time, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government moved a resolution to abolish the Legislative Council.
The adopted resolution was later sent to the Centre for further action.
The YSRCP justified the move by saying that the decision was taken a while, keeping in mind the availability of adequate qualified and experienced members in the Assembly for the purpose of making laws and removing intentional — and avoidable — delays in the passing of Bills.
Though the YSRCP stormed into power in Andhra Pradesh with an overwhelming majority of 151 MLAs in the Assembly, it faltered in the Legislative Council with TDP members in the absolute majority until 2021.
Most importantly, the YSRCP government faced trouble in passing key pieces of legislation — the Three Capitals Bill and AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020 — in the Council, whereas it could pass these Bills successfully in the Assembly.
At the time these two Bills were introduced, the TDP had 28 members, while YSRCP had nine.
However, the numbers completely changed on both sides by December 2021.
The TDP was left with 15 members and the YSRCP’s numbers rose to 32.
The Council also delayed and then rejected the proposal for separate commissions for SC and ST communities, and also rejected the Bill to introduce English-medium education in government schools.
In 2020, when both the Bills related to three capitals were introduced in the House, the then-chairman — TDP MLC MA Shariff — referred them to a select committee, stalling the legislation process.
Perturbed by it, the chief minister went to the extent of passing a unanimous resolution in the state Assembly to scrap the Council and referred it to the Centre.
In November 2021, just before YSRCP could gain a majority in the Council, the ruling government — citing the Centre’s inaction — decided to withdraw the resolution adopted by the Assembly that sought the abolition of the Upper House of the state legislature.
A resolution withdrawing the previous one was adopted by the Assembly on 23 November, 2021.
State Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy presented the resolution, which was adopted by the House.
The resolution stated that since there had been no action from the Centre despite constant persuasion by the state government, it had decided to withdraw the resolution seeking the abolition of the Upper House.
“In the context of the delay by the Central government and there being no visibility as to the timeframe in which the action is likely to be completed, it is considered necessary to put an end to the prevailing situation of uncertainty and ambiguity, which is affecting the dignity and decorum always associated with the council and members,” said Buggana Rajendranath while moving the resolution.
He added, “Therefore in light of the above, it is proposed to withdraw the statutory resolution adopted by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on 27 January, 2020, and instead continue with the Council which is in existence. The resolution is moved accordingly.”
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