HYDERABAD: The ruling TRS, Opposition Congress and the AIMIM cornered the BJP in the Legislative Assembly on the issue of the Centre’s power reforms on Monday. The BJP was at the receiving end as all the three parties attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre for forcing states to implement power reforms.
Although the BJP has a strength of three MLAs in the Assembly, only M. Raghunandan Rao was present in the House. Etala Rajender skipped the Assembly session while other MLA T.Raja Singh is currently lodged in Cherlapally jail for his controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammed.
Raghunandan Rao could hardly speak for four minutes, although he was allotted six minutes. He lost two minutes due to disruptions from treasury benches.
In his brief four-minute speech, Raghunandan tried to defend strongly
the Centre’s power reforms saying that these reforms never mentioned about removing subsidies for farmers and poorer sections and the state government can continue to extend subsidies as usual. He countered TRS members claim that Centre asked states to remove subsidies as part of power reforms.
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao led the attack on the BJP while
replying to a debate on the short discussion on ‘Central Electricity Bill — Ramifications’. The CM took the name of Raghunandan Rao several times, accusing him of telling lies on power reforms.
In his over half-an-hour speech, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka
targeted the BJP on power reforms and BJP leaders claims on installing
“double-engine governments” in all states.
AIMIM MLA Ahmed Balala also lashed out at the BJP on power reforms and the Centre cutting loans of TS government for not implementing power reforms. Both the Congress and the AIMIM expressed support to the TRS government in its fight against the Centre’s power reforms and other issues concerning TS.
Raghunandan Rao tried his best to counter the attack by all the parties in the House by urging the Speaker to give him mike to speak but in vain.
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