Andhra Pradesh   

A.P. to convene all-party meet on projects soon

Special Correspondent

Government to make power point presentation on the issue

HYDERABAD: The standoff between the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Opposition ended on Tuesday with the latter attending the Business Advisory Committee meeting and paving the way for Assembly to take up the day's business.

This followed the Government's offer to convene an all-party meeting on the Pothireddypadu head regulator and Polavaram where it would make a power point presentation on the controversial projects. It also offered to take an all-party delegation, accompanied by Major Irrigation Minister and technical experts, to the two projects.

Finance Minister K. Rosaiah, who made this offer, said the Chief Minister and technical experts would be present at the all-party meeting. If the members were not satisfied with details presented at the meet, the Government had no hesitation to arrange a visit to the sites of the two projects. He, however, rejected the demand for stopping work, and sought to assure protection of riparian rights of all.

Earlier, MIM and TRS members disrupted question hour after their respective adjournment notices on re-building Babri Masjid and Polavaram project were rejected by Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy. Members of the two parties, holding aloft placards, rushed into the well and raised slogans forcing the Chair to adjourn the House on two occasions. The TRS members led by former Ministers T. Harish Rao and N. Narasimha Reddy also staged a sit-in near the Speaker's podium.

In a bid to ensure the smooth functioning of the House, the Speaker convened a meeting of the BAC, which was marred by a walkout by TRS members and fiery exchanges between Legislative Affairs Minister K. Rosaiah and TDLP deputy leader T. Devender Goud. When the House re-assembled, MIM members staged a walkout over the issue of Babri Masjid's demolition. They accused the Government of showing "lip sympathy" after the Chief Minister did not accept their demand for adoption of a resolution seeking reconstruction of the mosque.

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