After days of protest and an unprecedented decision to black out the live telecast of the proceedings, Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013 (Telangana Bill) by a voice vote even as several MPs called it the "murder of democracy". Hyderabad will be joint capital of the both the states - Telangana and Seemandhra. The amendment to make Hyderabad the capital of Telangana moved by AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi was defeated by voice vote.
Also Read: Telangana: AP CM Kiran Reddy likely to resign on Wednesday
In fact 62 amendments were brought in but only 32 amendments by the government were accepted, rest were defeated. During the discussion Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that Seemandhra would get a special financial package. After Leader of Opposition and BJP MP Sushma Swaraj declared her party's support for Telangana, it was a mere formality before the Bill was passed. The Bill will now be taken up in the Rajya Sabha.
MPs for Seemandhra region called it the death of democracy. YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy called it a black day in the history of the country and called for a bandh in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.
The live telecast of Lok Sabha proceedings was stopped by Speaker Meira Kumar, after MPs demanding united Andhra protested in Parliament. Almost 40 MPs from BJD, Shiv Sena, CPM, AIADMK including ministers Chiranjeevi and KS Rao protested in the well of the House.
"The Lok Sabha Speaker is behaving like the Election Commission," said TDP MP YS Chaudhary.
Congress called it a historic event. "The passing of Telangana Bill is a historic event and everyone should now accept that," said External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. However, he agreed that it could have been done in a better way.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was in favour of united state is likely to resign on Wednesday. Sources have said that he will form his own party. Sources added that the Andhra Congress is divided over Telangana. After meetings with Seemandhra state ministers, party sources claim that 11 out of 21 Seemandhra ministers want to continue with the party, four including law minister Erasu Pratap Reddy and TG Venkatesh are likely to join the TDP, three others have requested for more time and only two including S Shilajanath and P Satyanarayana are supporting CM Kiran Kumar Reddy.
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