New Delhi: The amendment to make Hyderabad the capital of Telangana has been defeated by voice vote.
TDP MP YS Chaudhary has called it a murder of democracy, saying the Lok Sabha Speaker 'is behaving like the Election Commission'. He said more than half of the MPs are in the well of the House.
Union ministers JD Seelam and Purandeshwari among other MPs are present in the well of the House.
While the voting on amendments is on, TMC MPs have rushed to the well of the House shouting Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi are a team.
The Lok Sabha has started voting on amendments in Telangana Bill.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said that Seemandhra will get special financial package.
The Lok Sabha has started discussion the Telangana Bill, but the House proceeding have been stopped from being telecast by the Speaker. Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj has declared the BJP's support for the Bill. Meanwhile, Suspended TDP MP Venugopal Reddy tried to enter the House, but was stopped by the security.
Meanwhile, BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Karnataka, has accused Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi of ignoring Seemandhra. "Rahul, Sonia have time to visit Karnataka, Kerala, but not for Andhra Pradesh," Modi said.
Sources say that the government will work over time to ensure the passage of the Telangana Bill. Sources say the government is even prepared to pass the Telangana Bill without discussion.
Union Minister Pallam Raju has said that the government must not get the Telangana Bill passed in the din. He has also said that the demands of Seemandhra leaders must be met.
"We have three demands - that Hyderabad be made a Union Territory, better financial package for Seemandhra and concerns about Bhadrachalam. We are hoping that the government will listen to us. We will continue to protest till the time we can," Raju said.
The Lok Sabha has resumed, but there is continuous uproar in the House over Telangana. The Speaker has now adjourned the Lok Sabha till 3 pm.
Sources say that the Andhra Congress is divided over Telangana. After meetings with Seemandhra state ministers, party sources claim that 11 out of 21 Seemandhra ministers want to continue with the party, four including law minister Erasu Pratap Reddy and TG Venkatesh are likely to join the TDP, three others have requested for more time and only two including S Shilajanath and P Satyanarayana are supporting CM Kiran Kumar Reddy.
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 12:45 pm after Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde moved that Telangana Bill for consideration and passing.
The Rajya Sabha has yet again been adjourned till 2 pm after the uproar over Telangana.
As both Houses resume, the uproar continues. In Rajya Sabha, Seemandhra MPs are showing placards in the well of the House.
Sources say the Centre may finally bring 62 amendments in the Telangana Bill.
YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy said he would approach other opposition parties on Telangana Bill. Reddy has been campaigning for a united Andhra Pradesh.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourned till 12 noon after uproar over Telangana.
We will try our level best to pass Telangana bill in Lok Sabha: Minister of State Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla.
Final negotiations going on between BJP and Congress on Telangana Bill. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. After meeting BJP leaders, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh met Manmohan Singh on BJP's stand. BJP has told Congress that financial implications and mode of compensation should be simultaneously announced.
The BJP is in favour of a Rs 5000 crore package, educational institutes in Seemandhra and Polavaram project settlement. It also wants that revenue loss for first year to Seemandhra be compensated.
Wishes and aspirations of people should honoured and Hyderabad should be a Union Territory. That is not too much to ask for: Union Minister MM Pallam Raju.
Massive jam at main Parliament gate as suspended Seemandhra MPs have parked their cars there. As a result other MPs have to walk down.
Earlier report:
After a week of chaos over the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the UPA is all set to make another attempt to pass the Telangana Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. But the move will not be an easy one for the UPA.
Sources have told CNN-IBN that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy may resign in protest on Tuesday and form a new party. However, sources indicate that he is apprehensive about his dwindling support base.
The government is also jittery over more disruptions after the pepper spray incident last week.
The Parliament Committee on Security met on Monday, but sources say that no consensus was reached on the frisking of MPs. This discussion came up after expelled Seemandhra Congress MP L Rajagopal used pepper spray on the floor of the House on Thursday.
Even as that plays out, the UPA government is desperate to get the Bill passed. Government sources have told CNN-IBN that at least 38 amendments are likely to the Telangana Bill. Amendment can be moved for two governors for two separate states instead of the one governor for 10 years that the Bill proposes. Sources say if the amendment is approved, the governor of Telangana will have control over Hyderabad.
Government sources also say that there is no Constitutional amendment required for this. CNN-IBN has also learned that Seemandhra and Northern Andhra will get a special financial package. Seemandhra leaders have demanded a package of Rs 5,000 crore, which could be considered by the 14th financial commission.
Meanwhile protests against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh continue in the national capital. The Delhi Police on Monday detained YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy as he led a march to Parliament in protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Jagan appealed to all opposition parties to oppose the bifurcation of Andhra. Holding the Congress responsible, he said, "This is a man made problem. Sonia Gandhi is responsible for the situation, which has only been created to help her son become the Prime Minister."
After the pepper spray attack that took place in Parliament last week, Union Minister and Congress MP from Andhra Pradesh Jairam Ramesh has said that his party should move cautiously. "My statement is very clear, my personal belief is such an important piece of legislation must be debated and discussed and not pushed through in a din," he said.
But despite the protests and the criticism for introducing the Bill amidst total chaos, the UPA is determined to take up the Bill on Tuesday. Congress leaders from Seemandhra have promised to stall Parliament once again. They say unless their demands including a compensation package for Seemandhra are not addressed they will not let the House function.
Congress's trouble-shooters have been trying to get top BJP leaders on board. But the Opposition is following a wait and watch policy.
Despite protests at Jantar Mantar, protests at Ramlila Maidan, the only option before the Congress leaders from Seemandhra and regional parties like the TDP and YSR Congress is to get the support of BJP and other regional parties to defeat the Telangana Bill in Parliament.
