HYDERABAD: The time `wasted' by the Opposition parties during the winter session of the Assembly caused a loss of over Rs. 41 lakhs, according to the Government Chief Whip, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.

He calculated this amount on the basis that each minute of the Assembly proceedings costs Rs. 10,000 and that the disruptions by various political parties lasted six hours and 50 minutes. Mr. Reddy said the Assembly was in session for 65 hours and 16 minutes. Protests by other parties had led to disruption of six hours and 50 minutes.

End of session

At a press conference after the Assembly adjourned sine die, marking the end of the 17-day-long winter session, he said the Telangana Rashtra Samiti had emerged as the "major" Opposition party, having wasted two hours and 30 minutes.

It was closely followed by Telugu Desam, which wasted two hours and 20 minutes. Others include CPI-M (35 minutes), AIMIM (30), CPI (29), BJP (14) and Janata Party (12).

He observed that serving of 76 adjournment notices by the Opposition was a reflection of the sad state of affairs. In the next session the Congress would moot a discussion on the modalities of adopting such motions.

Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy and members E. Pratap Reddy and P. Satyanarayana regretted that even Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's statement on irrigation projects in Telangana could not find a place because of the disruption.

Discussion prolonged

They alleged that the TDP had chosen to prolong the discussion on BC welfare because it was afraid that the issue of allotment of land to IMG Bharata Sports Academy would be raised. Mr. Reddy wondered how a party that walked out after over a four-hour-long discussion on the subject could stall the proceedings again on the same issue.

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