: The Andhra Pradesh Council of Ministers will hold a crucial meeting here on Monday to decide the fate of the Legislative Council as Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has questioned the need for the Upper House of the state Legislature.
The extended winter session of the Assembly will continue on Monday to possibly pass a resolution recommending the abolition of the Council in the backdrop of the political developments since December 17.
Alternatively, the ruling YSR Congress is also said to be working on a 'Plan-B' by perhaps pulling some of the Telugu Desam Party MLCs into its fold as it has already snatched two.
As things stand, YSRC will gain a majority in the Council only in 2021 when a number of opposition members will retire at the end of their six-year term.
The YSRC, which has just nine members in the 58-member Council, is miffed after it failed to get two crucial Bills related to its plan of having three capitals for the state passed.
Using his discretionary power under Rule 154, the Council Chairman M A Sharrif had referred the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020 and the APCRDA (Repeal) Bill to a select committee for deeper examination.
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"We need to seriously think whether we need to have such a House which appears to be functioning with only political motives.
It is not mandatory to have the Council, which is our own creation, and it is only for our convenience.
So let us discuss the issue further on Monday and take a decision on whether or not to continue the Council," the Chief Minister had told the Assembly on Thursday evening.
In fact, the YSRC had on December 17 first threatened to abolish the Council when it became clear that the TDP was bent on blocking two Bills, related to creation of a separate Commission for Scheduled Castes and conversion of all government schools into English medium.
As the Legislature was adjourned sine dine on December 17, no further action was taken.
But the issue cropped up again last week as the TDP, that has 28 members in the Council, remained firm on its stand on opposing the three capitals plan.
Despite YSRC attracting two TDP members to its side, the government failed to get the three capitals Bills passed in the Council, triggering a debate in the Assembly on whether or not the Upper House should be allowed to remain in existence.
"What will be the meaning of governance if the House of Elders does not allow good decisions to be taken in the interest of people and block enactment of laws?