No change in dates of Andhra Pradesh Legislature Session: Rosaiah

New Delhi, Jul 2 : Asserting that there would be no change in the dates of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature Session slated to commence from July 8, state Chief Minister K Rosaiah today said the Cabinet had taken a unanimous decision on the dates for the Session. The Chief Minister, who is here on a two-day visit to the capital to discuss the strategy and selection of candidates for the by-elections to 12 Assembly seats in Telangana region, told newspersons that if the Speaker permits he would pay homage to former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in the highest democratic forum available for the state. ''If some of the party legislators want to attend a private meeting they are free to do so,'' he said, without referring to a private function organised by the family members of the former Chief Minister.Asked what advice he had to offer to defiant Jaganmohan Reddy since he considered him as a son, Mr Rosaiah said he had not changed his relationship with Mr Reddy. ''Even today he is like a son to me and I will not tender any advice without being solicited,'' he said.Mr Rosaiah said he had discussions with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Congress Treasurer Motilal Vohra on the organisational matters in Andhra Pradesh and he had no hesitation to say that the party's national leadership would take appropriate decision to win maximum number of seats in the by-elections.''Congress held no seat in the constituencies were by-elections caused by the resignations of 10 TRS MLAs and one each from Telugu Desam and BJP parties so whatever the results will be, it will be a gain for us,'' he said. To a question on the arrest of Telugu filmstar-turned TRS MP Vijaya Shanti, Mr Rosaiah clarified that it was not the state administration, which had clamped case against her but it was the Election Commission of India and he certainly had no influence on that independent constitutional body,'' he said. Regarding the death of top Maoist leaders in police operations, the Chief Minister said he had nothing to add to the encounter details given by the authorities back in the state. Meanwhile, during his meetings with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, he requested a release of Rs 6000 crore under National Calamity Contingency Fund as advance to AP to take up relief and rehabilitation work on a war footing. He had also requested him to advice the Planning Commission to provide additional grant to 'Arogya Sri' for AP and declare Polavaram project as National Project. In his meeting with Home Minister P Chidambaram, Mr Rosaiah raised the issue of including four districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Vishakapatnam and East Godavari in the list of extremist-affected districts besides Khammam, which was already in the list. The Home Minister is said to have agreed to include Vishakhapatnam district for augmenting infrastructure to counter challenges posed by the Left Wing Extremism. He had also sought the Home Ministry's approval for the establishment of a CRPF Training Institution with Field Firing Range in Chittoor district.
=============================================