Governor Skips T, Cong bid to disrupt Speech

Umindful of the sloganeering by some of the ruling Congress legislators, Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan customarily addressed the joint session of the state legislature on the first day of the budget session here  on Monday.

Even as the MLAs were raising the `Jai Telangana’ slogans in their bid to disrupt the address, the Governor in his 45-minute speech evaded the Telangana issue and focused on development of the state on a priority basis. After the members' futile attempt, the MLAs from the Telangana region walked out of the House.

The Governor went ahead with his speech which emphasized on the welfare programmes launched during the regime of erstwhile chief minister YS Rajasekhar and promised to continue the progressive schemes for the upliftment of the poor in the state.

MLAs from the Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, on the other hand, raised slogans for `Samaikya Andhra Pradesh.’ The Telugu Desam Party legislators from Telangana region boycotted  the address of the Governor protesting against the terms of reference of Srikrishna panel looking into the separate statehood demand.    

Narasimham referred to the difficult times the state was passing through in the last few months and felt the need to ensure peace and tranquility, which can only provide protection to the life and property of the people.

The Governor fervently appealed to all to maintain peace in the state as ``without peace, all other dreams will vanish and are reduced to ashes.''

Prior to the commencement of the session, Assembly Speaker N Kirankumar Reddy announced that the resignations of 12 of the 15 MLAs who had submitted  their resignations on Sunday have been accepted.

The resignations of all the 10 legislators of Telangna Rashtra Samiti and one each from Telugu Desam Party and Bharatiya Janata Party were accepted.