Though not much business could be transacted on the first day of the last session or Monsoon session of the second Assembly of Telangana, which began on Thursday, 3 August, there was no dearth of camaraderie between the ruling BRS and the Opposition parties.
For instance, IT Minister KT Rama Rao, took everyone by surprise, by stopping at the seat of BJP Election Management Committee chairman Eatala Rajender.
After entering the House, he went straight to the BJP leader, and greeted him.
Seeing him approach, Rajender, too, smiled at him and then both of them hugged as if they were friends for ages.They spoke for about 10 minutes.Though the content of their conversion is not known, it appeared more like exchanging pleasantries.
Outside the House also, KTR sprang a surprise with his friendly banter with Congress legislator T Jayaprakash Reddy, popularly known as Jagga Reddy, who came to the Assembly wearing a T-shirt.Poking fun at him, the IT minister asked whether the Congress member was moving with youth, pointing at his T-shirt.
Jayaprakash Reddy, joined KTR in the banter, wondering whether wearing a T-shirt would make him a youngster.
Then KTR, seeing him with Mamilla Rajender, Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers Association (TNGO) state president, asked Reddy when he had begun a “dostana” with him.It was the latter who replied, saying that they were very close and that they ate out from the same plate and slept in the same bed.
KTR then asked Mamilla Rajender whether he would help Jayapraksh Reddy win the election, in an indirect jibe at him for aligning with Congress leaders, to which the TNGO president said: “I will help him win and then bring him to you as a prize.”
Among key issues that are expected to come up for discussion in this session is free power for agriculture, TSPSC paper leaks, Dharani portal problems and unfulfilled promises of the BRS government, including crop loan waiver, 2BHK houses and unemployment allowance, among others.
BRS Accuses Opposition parties
In the Legislative Council, whose session also began simultaneously, Roads and Buildings Minister V Prashanth Reddy accused the Opposition parties of trying to derive political benefit from human misery caused by the torrential rains that battered the state for nearly 10 days recently.
He said though everyone knows that one cannot prevent natural calamities, yet the Opposition tried to politicise the tragedy for its benefit, adding that people’s representatives stood solidly behind KCR in taking relief to the victims.
Reddy said that the chief minister personally supervised flood relief operations, playing a key role in minimising loss to human lives and property.
He said as many as 27,000 families had been shifted to relief centres from 139 villages by 1,500 Fire Department personnel who swung into action, adding that 756 tanks were breached, R and B roads were damaged in 786 areas, and power supply was affected in 773 villages.
The minister said that for temporary restoration of roads, the government would require a sum of ₹253.77 crore and for permanent repairs, ₹1,777.47 crore.Temporary restoration works would be completed by 8 August, he said.
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