The chief minister is likely to meet the President on February 4 or 5 to express his stand on the state's division
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy today said the verdict of the state Assembly would be taken seriously by the President before introducing it in Parliament.
"In the Indian democracy, the resolution passed by the state Assembly has its due regard and respect, particularly, in crucial matters related to bifurcation," he said.
Way back in 2000, new states were carved out of bigger states - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar - only after their respective assemblies cleared the division through the voice vote.
Taking a serious note of views aired by some of the senior leaders about the Assembly resolution as a sheet of blank paper, he said the voice vote rejection of draft AP bifurcation Bill, 2013, cannot be taken for granted and asserted "voice vote means an unchallenged vote". With respect to Assembly resolution, it is as good as "Brahmastra for keeping the state united," he added.
"Around 80-90 per cent of the Bills introduced in Parliament, including Lokpal Bill, Food Security Bill among others were passed following the voice vote method... Never in the history of independent India, a resolution defeated in the Assembly was introduced in Parliament by the President," Reddy said.
Stating that the future of Telugu people should rest with the them here, he said if the division is imminent let Telugus decide in the upcoming general elections.
"During the formation of three states in 2000, the draft bifurcation bills were fully scrutinised and worked before being tabled in the Assemblies. However, in the current case, it was hurried without detailing issues related to power, security, law and order," he said, and added around 9,300 amendments were proposed to the AP bifurcation Bill.
He said he would be meeting the President this week to express his stand. "I look to meet the President on February 4 or 5 to indicate my views on the state's division. I also request other parties in the state to express their united stand to the President," he said.
