KCR stuns with 50-day proposal for winter session of Assembly

HYDERABAD: Springing a surprise in political circles, chief minister

K Chandrasekhar Rao

on Thursday proposed an unprecedented 50day sitting for the winter session. Never in the past has the winter session or even for that matter, the budget session (generally the longest) lasted this long.

While Parliament holds the record for having the longest session of 150 days, there were long periods of interregnum during that session due to the Mumbai attacks, A R Antulay controversy and financial crisis. In comparison, though this winter session of the Telangana Assembly will only be for 50 days, it will have a threeday break for PM Narendra Modi's visit to Hyderabad in the last week of November.

The entire opposition, which attended the

Business Advisory Committee

(BAC) meeting, was dumb-struck with the CM's proposal that was promptly accepted by deputy Speaker

Padma Devender Reddy

, who chaired the meeting.

While the Congress had wanted the winter session to be for 20 days, BJP sought a 30-day session. KCR then went a step further and proposed a 50-day session.

Apart from proposing an extended session, the CM mooted several changes in legislative business. He proposed an extended question hour to accommodate at least 10 questions every day .Each question will be given nine minutes time in which those who are not signatories to the question will also get a chance to speak. In all, KCR wants 90 minutes to be allotted for question hour.Zero hour followed by submission of petitions should continue to provide sufficient opportunity to all members, the CM proposed.

He also said that important issues should be taken up for debate after completion of question and zero hours. Questions which could get sufficient information during question hour should provide written answers after adjournment, KCR said.

All parties welcomed the CM's proposals and agreed to CM's proposals and agreed to support the changes in legislative business. Reacting to the Congress party's Chalo Assembly call, the CM questioned opposition leader K Jana Reddy about the rationale behind the agitation even after the government's readiness to debate all issues in the House.

Even before the start of the winter session, the CM has bowled over the entire opposition with his strategy.The detailed agenda for the session will be decided on Friday after the House is adjourned for the day.