The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Constitutional crisis staring at State’

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Constitutional crisis staring at State’

Special Correspondent

Ministers openly defying the Chief Minister, says Telugu Desam Party

‘Rosaiah unable to perform duties because of the pressure tactics adopted by Ministers’
‘Congress leaders burnt APSRTC buses and party offices and held out threats of violence’

HYDERABAD: Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday said the State was heading towards a constitutional crisis and collapse of law and order with Ministers openly defying the Chief Minister and Congress leaders holding out threats of violence.

Addressing a press conference here, party’s Polit Bureau member Kadiam Srihari and Upuleti Kalpana, general secretary Varla Ramaiah and SC Cell president, D. Srisailam, said doubts were being expressed over the future of the State with the Cabinet indulging in activities other than what it is meant for—administering the State. They said the Chief Minister was bound by the Constitution to act without fear or favour but he was unable to perform his duties because of the pressure tactics adopted by his own Ministers.

On the other hand Congress leaders have torn the posters of the AICC president Sonia Gandhi, burnt APSRTC buses and party offices and holding out threats of violence as part of their campaign to make Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy as Chief Minister.

This was vitiating the peaceful atmosphere.

Fee reimbursement

The four SC leaders charged the Congress Government with imposing a cut of Rs. 3,000 crore during the last five years on the budget meant for welfare of weaker sections and demanded release of scholarship and fee reimbursement amounts to students.

Probe demanded

At a separate press conference, TDP leaders Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu and Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy demanded scrapping of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Board and an inquiry to “large scale irregularities”.

From illegal sale of ‘darshan’ tickets, misuse of cottages, missing of valuable offerings from devotees to floating of Sri Venkateswara Bhakthi Channel, the Board was guilty of committing a number of irregularities.

They cited several examples of misdemeanour including launch of a website with the name Thumalakunta TTD to mislead Non Resident Indians and collect funds.

On the Bhakthi Channel, Rs. 90 crore was spent so far yet there was poor viewership.

Private channels

Instead, if the feed was given to private channels, the TTD could earn Rs. 50 crore to Rs. 100 crore, they said.

Asked if the Chief Minister, K. Rosaiah had the power, in the present uncertain circumstances, to scrap the Board, they said he could take this too with the party’s high command.

On their part they would not leave the issue and raise it in the Assembly.

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