Vijayawada, July 27, 2023: The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has decided to back the Narendra Modi government when it brings the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, to replace an ordinance that hands control of the national capital’s bureaucratic machinery to the Centre.
While Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have been individually meeting representatives of all parties to request them to vote against the bill as it undermines the elected Delhi government, YSR Congress Party leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy conveyed his decision to his MPs last weekend.
“We have decided to back the bill,’’ said the party’s parliamentary party leader Vijaysai Reddy. When asked about the AAP’s appeal for states uniting to make a statement for federalism, Reddy said, “We would have backed them if Delhi was a full-fledged state. In this case, it is not a full state and there are many areas which lie with the government.’’
Other YSR Congress MPs who didn’t want to be named told HT that the party wasn’t comfortable being on the same side as the Congress. Party chief YS Jagan Reddy is a former Congress leader, whose father YS Rajsekhara Reddy was the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. After his death in 2009, Jagan fell out with the grand old party over his father’s legacy and not being allowed to carry out a statewide yatra. Jagan then spent several years in jail in connection with a Central Bureau of Investigation corruption case.
“If we speak of federal structure, hasn’t the Congress also violated it many times in the past,’’ said the YSR MP, declining to be identified.
With this announcement, the ruling National Democratic Alliance looks comfortable with its numbers in the Rajya Sabha. In the house of 237 members of Parliament who will have a vote, the NDA has a majority of 123 votes against the 108 votes that the opposition alliance is expected to get. This includes the 92 BJP MPs, their partners such as the AIADMK and other smaller allies. The Biju Janata Dal with its nine MPs could also be voting with the NDA. “We are yet to take a decision on the issue,’’ said a spokesperson for the party according to the reports published in hindustantimes.com.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Rashtra Samit (BRS) has issued a whip to its 7 MPs to vote against the bill when it comes to Parliament next week. The whip read, “All Members of Parliament of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (Raya Sabha) are requested to vote against the bill to replace the ordinance on Delhi services, any time that it is brought before the House. All the Members of Parliament of BRS (Rajya Sabha) shall be present in the House on 26, 27 & 28th July 2023 and remain in the House till the voting on the bill is over.’’
The cabinet cleared the bill which will replace the ordinance promulgated by the President on May 19 to allow the Centre to retain control over the bureaucracy in Delhi and effectively negated a Constitution bench judgment of the Supreme Court that handed over control of the bureaucracy in the Capital to the elected government, excluding those connected to police, public order and land. The government listed the bill as its top priority and it is expected to come up for passage next week.
HT reached out to the Aam Aadmi Party for a comment but was yet to receive one till the time of going to press.
