Amid chaos Rajya Sabha passes Telangana bill

"The bill was torn up by those who have nothing to do with the bill. Those MPs were from West Bengal," Union Parliamentary Kamal Nath said while commenting on the behaviour of some MPs when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was speaking. "At the end the combined wisdom of the members worked," Nath told CNN-IBN. Talking about Friday, the last day of the 15th Lok Sabha, the minister said, "We will see that some of the anti-corruption bills are passed if BJP comes forward. Saying that the bill was passed in the right manner, Union Minister RPN Singh said, "The Bill was passed completely constitutionally. The Centre has kept its promise that the UPA and Sonia Gandhi had made." Appearing extremely delighted over the formation of the new state, TS MLA KT Rama Rao said, "I am very happy with the creation of Telangana. The people of Seemandhra should not be scared. Now we are waiting for the presidential nod. We will now have to wait for the presidential nod. This victory is dedicated to the scarifices of the people of Telangana." Daughter of K Chandrashekar Rao, K Kavita Rao said, "We are very happy and jubilant that the bill was passed out in both the Houses. My heart goes out to the hundreds of youths who gave their lives for this cause. Now it is our responsibility to protect our brothers from Telangana and prosper jointly." Congress MP from Telangana V Hanumantha Rao told CNN-IBN, "The Seemandhra MPs from Congress party behaved badly in the House and also in front of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. It is a black day for parliamentary democracy." BSP chief Mayawati had a one-point solution for all. "For political benefits, bigger parties divide bigger states. Better we divide all of these states once and for all instead of facing these protests regularly," she said. 8.30 pm: Kavita Rao assures security Seemandhra people in Hyderabad Daughter of K Chandrashekar Rao, K Kavita Rao said, "We are very happy and jubilant that the bill was passed out in both the Houses. My heart goes out to the hundreds of youths who gave their lives for this cause. Now it is our responsibility to protect our brothers from Telangana and prosper jointly." 8.04 pm: Telangana just a signature away from becoming a state Two days after Lok Sabha passed the Telangana bill, the Rajya Sabha today passed it paving the way for the creation of the India's 29th state of Telangana. In the final minute of voting, DMK walked out while all throughout the day the Seemandhra MPs along with vociferous support from Trinamool Congress. The bill is now likely to go to President Pranab Mukherjee for his assent before it officially becomes an Act on the creation of Telangana. 7.20 pm: PM's statement in Rajya Sabha on the Telangana Bill and a special package for the successor state of Andhra Pradesh "Mr. Chairman Sir: I have listened very carefully to the views expressed by the Leader of Opposition and all the other members who have spoken, especially those from Andhra Pradesh. The Home Minister has already mentioned the specific steps our Government will take to address the concerns of all regions of the state, particularly of Seemandhra. I would like to make a few further announcements in this regard. First, for purposes of Central assistance, Special Category Status will be extended to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh comprising 13 districts, including the four districts of Rayalaseema and the three districts of north coastal Andhra for a period of five years. This will put the state's finances on a firmer footing. Second, the Bill already stipulates that the Central Government shall take appropriate fiscal measures, including offer of tax incentives to the successor states in order to promote industrialization and economic growth in both the states. These incentives will be along the lines extended to some other states. Third, the Bill already provides for a special development package for the backward regions of the successor state of Andhra Pradesh, in particular for the districts of Rayalaseema and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. This development package will be on the lines of the K-B-K (Koraput-Bolangir-Kalahandi) Special Plan in Odisha and the Bundelkhand special package in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Fourth, I would like to reassure Honourable Members that if any further amendments are needed to facilitate smooth and full Rehabilitation & Resettlement(R&R) for the Polavaram project, they will be given effect to at the earliest. Our government will execute the Polavaram project--let there be no doubt about it. Fifth, the appointed day for the formation of the new State will be so fixed in relation to the notified date so as to enable preparatory work relating to personnel , finance and distribution of assets and liabilities to be completed satisfactorily. Sixth, the resource gap that may arise in the successor state of Andhra Pradesh in the very first year, especially during the period between the appointed day and the acceptance of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations by the Government of India, will be compensated in the Regular Union Budget for 2014-15. Sir, I hope these additional announcements will demonstrate our steadfast commitment to not just the creation of Telangana but also to the continued prosperity and welfare of Seemandhra." 7.23 pm: Sibal says powers of governor can be examined later Law Minister Kapil Sibal said that the confusion with the powers of the governor if any with regards to overseeing law and order can be corrected at a later stage. "If there is an ambiguity with power of the governor in overseeing law and order in Hyderabad, the new government can look into it. I am sure this issue will go the court and the court will also make certain observations. The time to create Telangana has come. I am thankful to the Leader of Opposition for supporting the creation of Telangana," Sibal said in his short speech. 7.00 pm: Support Telangana, but Congress messed up, says Jaitley Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley while supporting the creation of Telangana lashed out at the Centre for mishandling of the issue. "The areas that would go into disadvantage with the creation of Telangana should be specifically looked into. I am extremely disappointed with the manner the Centre handled the entire exercise," Jaitley told Rajya Sabha. "The NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee created three states under unanimous decision from the state assemblies and larger consensus was generated. All the three states were formed in a joyous manner," the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said. Taking on the Centre, he said, "They waited for the penultimate day of the last session to create Telangana. It is surprising that ministers and ruling party MPs are still opposing it. The creation of Telangana got a bad name with the way the Centre handled it. We want Telangana but want the process to be correct and legally sustainable." Jaitley also expressed reservation on the Governor handling law and order in Hyderabad. "Without constitutional amendment for vesting power to oversee law and order in the Governor there will be a legal defect. Law and order and policing powers belongs to the state. The Governor is a representative of the Centre," he said. 6.26 pm: Mayawati supports bill; TMC, CPI-M oppose While BSP leader Mayawati was in support of the Telangana bill, she also said that the bill wasn't passed in the right manner by the Rajya Sabha. " Smaller states help in better administration and makes easy for the administration to reach out to the people," she said. Meanwhile the Trinamool Congress has opposed the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and the CPI-M too followed suit and went against the bill. Sitaram Yechury said in the Rajya Sabha, "It is unfortunate that the Congress the BJP are bargaining for economic packages." 5.23 pm: Chiranjeevi spars with Venkaiah Naidu in Rajya Sabha Congress MP Chiranjeevi, first disagreed with his party's decision to split Andhra Pradesh, then sparred with Venkaiah Naidu by questioning BJP's motives behind supporting Telangana. "Nobody knows when the Bill was introduced in the Parliament. Also, the way it was pushed was very unfortunate. They was no discussion, Seemandhra MPs were not heard," he said. He then attacked the BJP for double standards. "Though the BJP says that they were always for Telangana, when NDA was in power they went back on their word," he accused. He then took on the TDP to say that there was no clarity in their demands. "They are going on demanding equal justice. What do they mean by equal justice. Why are they not suggesting what they want in the way of equal justice?" The popular Telugu actor added that it was unfortunate that he had to disagree with his party's line on this issue. To which Venkaiah Naidu said that he has never, in his tenure as an MP, seen MPs dismissing and going against their government forming party's decisions. 4.56 pm: Venkaiah Naidu braves on Despite defeaning chaos in the house, Venkaiah Naidu braved on, trying to complete his speech, gesticulating wildly at the same time. From what could be gleaned from his speech, he seemed to be appealing to people to treat this emotional issue of the state's bifurcation with dignity and sensitivity. "People from Telangana, people from Seemandhra speak the same language. We are all friends and brothers. We have to respect each other," says Naidu. He also defended his party against allegations of double standard and said that BJP was always fighting for the country's unity. 4.26 pm: Venkaiah Naidu being drowned out by Seemandhra MPs Rajya Sabha has resumed, and Venkiah Naidu is now trying to talk, but we can't catch a word he is saying thanks to the ruckus. All we know is he has appealed to members to allow discussion on the bill. "It's very difficult to talk", complains Naidu to the deputy chairman. "Let the nation see how these people are behaving", says Kurien in response. 4.00 pm: General discussion first, amendments later, shouts Kurien Absolute chaos. The house has just been adjourned for 15 minutes amid disagreements between deputy speaker PJ Kurien and MPs from the CPI(M) and TMC who wanted a discussion on amendments before general debate. "The general debate has to happen before discussion on amendments! That is the procedure. No it is not illegal! You keep quiet!" Kurien shouted, before appealing to senior party leaders to help him maintain calm. All this was of course taking place amid a chant of  'no-no! no - no!' by the Seemandhra MPs. And then to add insult to injury BJP leader Venkiah Naidu appealed to the vice chairman to maintain order in the house. "I am ready to speak, how can I speak amid this noise", he asked in a pained tone of voice. 3.45 pm: BJP agrees to let bill pass The All party meeting seems to have been a success. The BJP has agreed to let the bill pass, but Jaitley is expected to make the point that the bill is unconstitutional. Seemandhra MPs are still shouting but seem a little more subdued than before. Perhaps they are just warming up. 3.30 pm: All Party conference called by Hamid Ansari Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari has called for an all-party meeting over the Telangana issue, after leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, said that he was opposed to passing the bill without a debate. Given the determination of the Seemandhra MPs to block any discussion around the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, this seems like a distant dream. Time is running out for the government, with just one day of the session left in which to pass the bill. 3.11 pm: BJP does U-turn, opposes tabling of Telangana bill in Rajya Sabha The BJP has just done a huge about turn and have opposed the tabling of the Telangana bill in the Rajya Sabha. Massive ruckus in the upper house of Parliament prevented the session from continuing, but leader of the opposition Arun Jaitley stood up and said that he was opposed to the tabling of the bill on constitutional grounds. The Home Minister had by then, already officially tabled the bill, with a de facto bodyguard of other MPs. The BJP has already moved a number of amendments to the bill, much to the frustration of the Congress. "We have listed the Telangana bill in Rajya Sabha and we would be attempting to get it passed. The question of amendments at this stage does not arise," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters. Criticising the BJP, he said the opposition party had moved no amendment in Lok Sabha, "(but) they suddenly changed their mind and want to move amendments". He said BJP voted against similar amendments moved by members of other parties in Lok Sabha. "If they didn't do it (move amendments) in Lok Sabha, I don't see why they should do it in Rajya Sabha. I have requested them to let the bill be passed," Nath said. 2.36 pm: Massive uproar in Rajya Sabha The Seemandhra MPs are determined not to allow the Telangana bill in the Rajya Sabha, with the upper house frankly resembling an outraged Wankhede crowd who have seen Sachin being dismissed for zero. The master blaster himself may just be there somewhere. Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien tried in vain to restore calm. However his first question "What is wrong with the Telangana bill?" admittedly seemed quite naive. Later he tried to take up the whistleblowers bill, but in the roar and ruckus that was the Rajya Sabha, it was completely lost. The house was adjourned for 30 minutes. 12.15 pm: PM may intervene on Telangana bill  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may intervene on the Telangana bill when it comes up in Rajya Sabha later today. The Andhra Pradesh reorganisation bill is likely to be tabled in the Upper House at 3 pm today after the government failed to introduce it on Wednesday. Singh, before the session commenced, had said that the government will do everything possible to pass the bill in this final session of Parliament. 10.20 am: Telangana bill to be tabled in RS at 3 pm After failing to introduce the bill in the Rajya Sabha yesterday, the government will table the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation bill in Rajya Sabha today at 3 pm. The Winter Session of Parliament, the last of the current Lok Sabha, ends tomorrow and the government is keen on passing the legislation today itself. Late last night, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to grant the Seemandhra region special status for a period of five years. 8.45 am: IB alerts Centre against trouble in Telangana With the Telangana bill likely to come up in Rajya Sabha today, the Intelligence Bureau has reportedly alerted the Centre about possible trouble in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. According to an NDTV alert, the Centre has deployed additional forces to the state. Updates for 19 February end 7.15 pm: Chandrababu Naidu lashes out at Congress Telegu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu slammed the Congress for forcing the Telangana bill through Lok Sabha amid complete chaos. "There is a constitutional violation. This is against federal spirit. The Congress is mainly responsible for it. The Congress bulldozed the Constitution citing majority. The Congress is conspiring for a few seats. The Congress are even misusing presiding officers," Naidu told CNN-IBN in an exclusive interview. The TDP chief also blamed the BJP for failing "to protect" the people of the state. "Centre has to do equal justice for both the regions. Centre violated the Constitution by giving the Governor powers to oversee law and order in Hyderabad. Bifurcation is a sensitive issue. Even BJP as a main opposition must play its role but it failed to protect," he said. Naidu did not spare the media either. "National media is not thinking about regional sentiments. They should know Andhra leaders were not consulted," he said. Making it clear that the battle is primarily political the TDP chief said, "Going to the court is the last resort." The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister also disapproved the manhandling of Rajya Sabha secretary general by party MP CM Ramesh today. "I am neither endorsing nor appreciating my MP's behaviour in Rajya Sabha," Naidu said. 6.19 pm: Sonia asks PM to give special status to Seemandhra After the Telangana bill not being taken up in the Rajya Sabha, sources suggest that Sonia Gandhi wants special status for Seemandhra. CNN-IBN quoted sources as saying Sonia Gandhi has asked the Prime Minister to give special status to Seemandhra region for the first five years. 5.00 pm: No Telangana bill today, RS adjourned till tomorrow No Telangana bill in the Rajya Sabha today, with the BJP and the Congress at a stalemate over the passing of certain amendments to the bill. Even a meeting between the Prime Minister and BJP leaders had failed to iron out these differences, with CNN-IBN reporting that the government was sympathetic over certain amendments but explained that if the current bill was amended then it would have to come back to the Lok Sabha for passing, which would create further problems. 4.43 pm:  PM meets BJP leaders The BJP has just concluded a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with regards to getting the Telangana bill passed in the Rajya Sabha. The meeting was held between Venkaiah Naidu, Arun Jaitley, Jairam Ramesh, Sushilkumar Shinde and Ahmed Patel. The BJP Parliamentarians are now meeting party leaders Yashwant Sinha and LK Advani to discuss what transpired at the meeting. 4.00 pm: Telangana debate about to start in Rajya Sabha The Telangana debate will be taken up in the Rajya Sabha shortly. The house has already convened, but are debating the street vendors bill. The Seemandhra MPs are all ready for the bill to be taken up, holding placards aloft and shouting some practice chants of 'Save Andhra Pradesh' Will they allow the bill to be passed, or will they stop it successfully? We will know in a matter of moments. 3.00 pm: RS tv could be 'Reality Shame' tv, says Derek O Brien With just an hour to go before the Telangana bill is tabled in the Rajya Sabha, some interim wit from TMC MP Derek O Brien via Twitter: At 4pm today tune into RS TV... It just might become Reality Shame TV #Telangana, he tweeted. Meanwhile in the Rajya Sabha, a host of other issues ranging from the street vendors bill to the centre's stand on Sri Lanka are being noisily brought up as MPs jostle to bring up the issues they want. It is also likely that the Seemandhra MPs could stop the bill from being passed. Unlike in the Lok Sabha, the Seemandhra MPs have not been suspended in the upper house, and are well placed to create a disruption. 2.17 pm: Decision to bifurcate Telanagana is undemocratic, says Kiran Reddy Speaking to CNN IBN, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy said the way the Telangana Bill was pushed through the Lok Sabha, was thoroughly undemocratic. "How can they take up a bill, rejected by the Assembly, and then forcibly pass it in Lok Sabha," said Reddy. Though he didn't defend the behavior of Andhra MPs in LS and RS, he said that the way the Parliament ignored and disrespected the Assembly, he doesn't see a reason why the Parliament should be respected by people. "What happened yesterday was disgraceful. It is unfortunate that such incidents take place when the world is watching. Beating up AP MPs, expelling them, not allowing them to speak ... what kind of democracy is that?" said Reddy. "Andhra Pradesh has saved the Congress, have voted them to power several times. From Indira Gandhi's time to the last two polls Congress was voted to power by Andhra. Now the state has been divided by them," said Reddy. He suggested that several contentious issues like power sharing, water sharing etc will come up now putting the people of Andhra Pradesh in a spot. 1.26 pm: Telanagana Bill to be taken up in Rajya Sabha at 4 pm Though the Rajya Sabha has been in the grip of chaos all day, the Telangana Bill is all set to be taken up in the upper house of the Indian Parliament at 4 pm today. After the violent scenes that were witnessed today, it is not clear if the house will be allowed to run after the Bill is tabled. 12.12 pm: Ruckus in Rajya Sabha protesting formation of Telangana While this was not unexpected, mayhem struck the Rajya Sabha today. Seemandhra MPs stormed the well and one of them also heckled the secretary general of the Rajya Sabha when he was trying to read out a statement issued by the LS secretary general on yesterday's black-out. TV visuals showed men holing placards surrounding the speaker and then one of them forcibly wrenching the paper out of the secretary general's hands. The man is shown roughly pushing the secretary general and then yelling at the Speaker. 11.17 am: Andhra CM Kiran Kumar Reddy resigns And Reddy has announced his resignation. 'I can't continue. I am resigning from the post of CM, MLA and membership of the Congress party. I can't continue in Congress. I thank them for making me CM. But, they betrayed Telugu people", he said. Reddy also attacked the entire Congress high command including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "PM said that his heart was bleeding over disruption in Parliament. But, the misery of Telugu people won't cause him pain", he charged, adding that the Telugu people would never forgive the Congress. This is not the first time that Reddy has made this allegation. The Prime Minister's bleeding heart has been fodder for a lot of barbs, both by anti-Telangana MPs and opposition leaders. He will shortly call on Andhra Pradesh governor ESL Narasimhan to submit his resignation. 11.10 am: Congress and BJP joined hands to betray Telugu people, says Reddy Reddy is continuing his tirade against the passage of the Telangana bill by voice vote in the Lok Sabha. "Injustice has been done to the people. Division of state won't help both the regions. This bill was rejected by the Andhra Pradesh assembly. Even the live telecast was stopped. It was undemocratic. A bill rejected the by the assembly has been passed", he said.  "What kind of democracy is this? Both Congress and BJP joined hands to betray Telugu people. I strongly condemn it", he added. 11.05 am: Reddy slams Congress 'vote bank politics' Kiran Kumar Reddy has begun his press conference, at which he is expected to resign. "For seats and votes Telugu people have been divided. I condemn it", he told the assembled media. He also attacked the Congress and said that Telangana was created simply for vote bank politics. "Every norm has been violated. The bifurcation has been done in a highly undemocratic manner", he added. 11.00 am: Ruckus in Rajya Sabha, house adjourned till noon All eyes are now on the Rajya Sabha which is expected to take up the Telangana bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha by voice vote yesterday. But in an ominous sign of things to come, no work was possible amid a din by screaming MPs, forcing Chairman Hamid Ansari to adjourn proceedings till noon. 10.35 am: No tv, no debate in Rajya Sabha, says BJP The BJP has said that there will be no debate on the bill unless the proceedings are telecast live. The party has taken the stand following an uproar over a contentious decision to black out the live telecast of the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha.  Speaking to media, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "We have passed a proposal that blackout was intentionally done. It destroys democratic principles. This raises questions over the function of the Lok Sabha secretariat." BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley are also expected to bring up the issue of the tv blackout in Parliament. The widely panned decision saw walkouts by the JD(U) and TMC in protest, while MP Dinesh Trivedi said that it was a 'blot on democracy' that was a 'reminder of the emergency'. The BJP is expected to move several amendments to the Telangana bill that was passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha yesterday. 10.25 am: Andhra CM Kiran Reddy to announce resignation shortly Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is all set to quit in a short while from now. He will shortly address a press conference, at which he is expected to announce his resignation, before formally submitting it to the governor of Andhra Pradesh. It is widely expected that Reddy will then go on to form a new party, although these reports have not yet been confirmed. "The whole country says the (Telangana) bill for division is undemocratic. Still, they say that we will go ahead and make the bill win by hook or crook, pass even by voice vote. In this situation, there is a need for a new party. Kiran Kumar Reddy would definitely form a new party and try to keep the state united," state Law Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy  had said. 9.47 am: BJP top brass meet over LS blackout Senior BJP leaders including LK Advani met early this morning to discuss their party's strategy when the Telangana bill comes up in Rajya Sabha today. According to Times Now, the BJP leaders also discussed the Lok Sabha television blackout and Arun Jaitley is likely to raise the issue in the Upper House. 7.45 am: Bandh in Seemandhra, Kiran Reddy to resign today The Telangana bill will be taken up by the Rajya Sabha today, after its contentious passage in the Lok Sabha yesterday. If it is passed, India will officially have its 29th state. But it comes at great cost and bitterness. It has prompted a slew of resignations, and a bandh call in Seemandhra. The reaction to the development was immediate with central minister D Purandeswari reportedly sending her resignation to Sonia Gandhi. Three Andhra Pradesh ministers from Seemandhra also resigned in protest while Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is all set to quit today. He has called a press conference at 10.45 am at which he is expected to announce his resignation, before formally submitting it to the governor of Andhra Pradesh. Central ministers from Seemandhra hit out at their own party-led government for passing the bill in "undemocratic" manner. "It is totally undemocratic, immoral and unethical," said Textiles Minister K.S. Rao, who like other ministers from Seemandhra hope that the bill will be stalled in Rajya Sabha. Human Resource Development Minister M.M.Pallam Raju said the bill was passed against all democratic norms. Another minister K. Chiranjeevi said after the meeting with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi last night, they hoped that justice would be done to Seemandhra. He said the BJP also disappointed them. Vijayawada MP L. Rajagopal, who had used pepper spray in Lok Sabha last week to protest tabling of the bill, announced that he is retiring from politics for failing to stop bifurcation. A bandh has also been called in Seemandhra by the Jaganmohan Reddy led YSR Congress party. -- end of updates for 18 February -- 9.12 pm: Andhra CM Kiran Reddy to resign tomorrow Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy is set to resign tomorrow morning as a result of the fallout because of the Telangana issue. CNN-IBN reports that the AP CM will submit his resignation to the governor at 11 am tomorrow and will hold a press conference before that at 10.30 am. 7.19 pm: Black-out was a technical glitch, says govt Following the country-wide uproar caused by the black-out in the Lok Sabha, representatives of the UPA government are now saying that the media was not deliberately kept away from the proceedings of the House and the black-out was a technical glitch. CNN IBN reports that a statement issues by the Lok Sabha said that the black-out was neither intentional and indicates that it wasn't ordered by Speaker Meira Kumar. It was a technical fault. The statement also said that the proceedings were not held behind closed doors and the press was present in full force. Only the telecast got interrupted due to a technical glitch. Interestingly, Congress minister Rajeev Shukla had earlier defended the black-out saying speaker Meira Kumar reserved the right to order a blackout if things went out of control. Salman Khursheed also called it the Speaker's prerogative. IBN Live reports that Mamata Banerjee has questioned the shoddy process in which the Bill was passed. "This is a disaster. Where are all those big leaders who keep on talking. Why didn't they allow a vote on Telangana. How could you pass such an important bill without a vote," she said. The secretary general of Lok Sabha has reportedly asked the CE of Lok Sabha TV to fix the technical problem by 11 am on Wednesday. 5.40 pm: Sushma Swaraj accuses Congress of playing double game over Telangana BJP leader Sushma Swaraj suggested that the Congress was possibly not interested in passing the Telangana Bill and wanted to place the blame on the BJP. "I can tell you what their game was. They said they are trying to table the Bill and then their own ministers revolted against them. They had hoped that the din will continue and they will not have to pass the Bill. They would have then said that BJP is responsible for not letting the Bill pass. However, when we declared that we are going to support the Bill, they must have realized that their game was over and hence they hurriedly passed the Bill. On one hand they were telling the Telangana people that they want the Bill passed, on the other hand, they were in talks with the Seemandhra people," said Sushma Swaraj. "We are happy that we backed the Telangana Bill," said Sushma Swaraj. 5.15 pm: Sushilkumar Shinde's que sera sera moment  Sushilkumar Shinde sounded partially bored and partially resigned when he said that there was no way the Congress could hold back the Telangana Bill. "Sonia Gandhi had promised statehood to Telangana during UPA I itself. It was our duty pass Telangana Bill. We did that. Also, we have promised that Seemandhra will get a financial package. Whichever way it was, the Bill had to be passed. Lets see what happens in future, these things are not new," said Shinde. 4.51 pm: The people of Andhra Pradesh are the biggest losers in this, says L Rajagopal Expelled Congress MP L Rajagopal, who had sent the country in a tizzy after he threatened to attack colleagues with a pepper spray in Lok Sabha, said the the people of Andhra Pradesh stand to lose the most. He also warned that the creation of Telangana will harm the stable federal structure of the country. "There will be more statehood demands. There will be more internal conflicts within the state," said Rajagopal. Asked if the Congress stands to lose election ground following the move to muscle its way through the Parliament, Rajagopal said, "Don't know about the Congress, but the people of Andhra Pradesh will have to go through traumatic experiences." He also declared that the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh has convinced him that he was a misfit in contemporary Indian politics. 4.38 pm: YSR Congress calls for bandh across Andhra Pradesh YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy has said that the party has declared a bandh in the state of Andhra Pradesh, calling it a black day in the history of India's democracy. Today is a black day in the history of this country. We have seen with our own eyes how democracy could be killed in broad daylight. TV channels were shut off, Lok Sabha live telecast was cut off. Doors were closed, people who were to represent the interests of Seemandhra were suspended.  The issue was taken up against the will of the assembly, against the will of the people of Andhra Pradesh. Today we have seen that the bill was passed undemocratically. We were not let in the house, but we could hear it. The way the ayes and noes were cleared by the speaker exhibited the way democracy was killed", he said. 4.25 pm: Telangana bill passed by Lok Sabha The Telangana bill has been passed by the Lok Sabha via voice vote. A CNN-IBN reporter who was inside the Parliament said that the 67 amendments were passed clause by clause by headcount. Parliament has since been adjourned. 4.18 pm: 40 MPs including 4 ministers in well of house The latest reports coming in from inside Parliament say that as many as 40 MPs are protesting in the well of the house, against the Telangana decision. Four union Ministers are amongst them, CNN-IBN reported. Meanwhile the JD(U) and TMC have walked out in protest at an unprecendented decision to stop the proceedings of the house from being telecast live. 4.00 pm: As bad as emergency, says former Rail Minister Dinesh Trivedi Calling the decision to stop live proceedings from the Lok Sabha a 'murder of democracy', TMC MP Dinesh Trivedi has said that it was a 'very bad precedent' and was a situation that was worse than democracy. Trivedi had protested the decision to black out the proceedings by walking out of Parliament. "You can be for Telangana or against Telangana but the people have a right to know what is going on", he said in comments to CNN-IBN. In voting on amendments when a division of votes is sought, the lobbies have to be cleared of all MPs and all members in their seats to vote on the legislation. However, Trivedi said that while moving amendments today, the Speaker wasn't seeking a division of votes and going instead by headcount. 3.27 pm: Lok Sabha voting on amendments in Telangana bill The Lok Sabha is currently voting on as many as 62 amendments to the Telangana bill. The bill is expected to be passed shortly. In an unprecedented move, the speaker has ordered that the live telecast of Lok Sabha proceedings be stopped. Reports from inside Parliament report however that the bill is being passed amid massive uproar. 3.14 pm: Telangana discussion underway in Lok Sabha Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj has said that the BJP is not just supporting the bill, but will also vote for it. Speaking in Parliament during a discussion of the bill. Swaraj had said however, that she "wished Congress had handled this better. Your own CM is in the bill of this house". Earlier, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had earlier said that he 'sincerely hoped' that the bill would be passed in Parliament. In further drama, L Rajagopal, the now notorious Seemandhra MP who used pepper spray in the well of the house last week, was stopped by officials while trying to enter the house just before the debate. He was suspended along with 16 other MPs soon after the incident. Meanwhile the speaker of the Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar has reportedly ordered that the Lok Sabha telecast be stopped. This is the first time that telecasting of proceedings has stopped in about five years. 2.13 pm: Mayawati says she supports Telangana And while Modi was condoling with the people of Andhra Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati today said her party would support the Telangana Bill in Parliament. However while supporting Telangana, she also demanded the further division of Uttar Pradesh into four more states to facilitate better administration and development of the region. "We support the creation of Telangana and our party will support the Telangana bill that the government is bringing," she told reporters outside Parliament. Justifying the creation of a separate Telangana state, she said, "Andhra Pradesh is a big state and the Telangana region is mostly inhabited by weaker section of the people and SC and ST people. The region is always neglected. So, there was always a demand for a separate state". Mayawati added her party always favoured the creation of smaller states. 1.36 pm: Modi slams Sonia, Rahul for Telangana mess Telangana may be stalled in Parliament for now, but BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is talking about it, thousands of kilometres away, in Davangere, Karnataka. "People of Seemandhra need support from us but Congress party doesn't have time for them. People of Andhra put Congress to power but now when they're facing difficulties they can't say a word for them", Modi said, addressing the rally. His comments come, even as TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu today appealed to Modi to "use his good office" to keep Andhra Pradesh united till an amicable solution is reached on the issue of creation of separate Telangana. "I met Modi. I requested him. They (Congress) are doing all these things. These are all the violations... So you use your good office...You tell our party (to stop it)...," he told reporters. 12.54 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till 3 pm Sushil Kumar Shinde tried speaking in vain as the Lok Sabha remained chaotic. Sensing there's little she can do, Meira Kumar adjourned the house again, till 3 pm. 12.10 pm: Shinde asks LS to pass bill without discussion Parliament convened at noon, but Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde only managed to move the bill for debate, before the house was adjourned again till 12.45pm. Shinde stood up to introduce Telangana, but the sloganeering  just got louder. 'Let's bring order to the house", said speaker Meira Kumar even as the shouting MPs seem to have found a new lease of life. "I  already moved the bill... it is to be taken into consideration and passing", he said. This means that he was asking the chairs of the house to pass the bill even without discussion. What is interesting however, seems to be the fact that it is not the Seemandhra MPs who are blocking any discussions from taking place. According to CNN-IBN, the ruckus has been mostly caused by the AIADMK which wants a resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC meet, and the JD(U) who are demanding a special package for Bihar. If the bill is to be passed, the UPA will have to talk to these parties first and see if they can come up with a viable floor strategy. 12.05 pm: Lok Sabha begins amid uproar Lok Sabha has resumed amid similar scenes of turbulence in Parliament, but the speaker seems to be determined to keep procedings going this time. MPs are currently laying papers on the table, amid sloganeering and shouting. In the Rajya Sabha, placards are being shown in the well of the house. With just four days to go in this session of Parliament, the last before Lok Sabha elections, if the bill is not passed, it will have to be reintroduced all over again by the next government. 11.35 am: Suspended Seemandhra MPs block gate to Parliament They may not be able to actually attend proceedings in the Lok Sabha, but that doesn't mean that the suspended Seemandhra MPs are not trying to block the passage of the Telangana bill in Parliament. CNN-IBN reported that the MPs have parked their cars outside the entrance to Parliament, forcing MPs to walk. Security has been tightened around Parliament, with the bill expected to be taken up today. On Thursday, proceedings were disrupted after Seemandhra MP L Rajagopal used pepper spray inside the Lok Sabha. Prior to that Parliament was essentially on suicide watch, 11.28 am:  Lok Sabha adjourned amid Telangana uproar Question hour was a washout yet again, with anti-Telangana MPs disrupting the house, forcing speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn proceedings until noon. This is also when the Telangana bill is expected to be taken up. 10.48 pm: Will try our best to pass Telangana, says Congress MoS Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla has confirmed that the Telangana bill will be brought before Parliament today and said that the party would do its best to pass it. The Congress will however, have an uphill task to do that. The party has already issued a whip to all its members asking them to be present in Parliament for the whole of this week and PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana‎ has reportedly been given the task of ensuring that all Congress MPs stay together even as Congress Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy contemplates a decision to resign. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday assured central ministers and party MPs from Seemandhra that justice would be done to their region while carving out a separate Telangana state. The party has also approached the BJP for help in passing the bill. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh had asked the BJP for help. 9.20 am: Congress scrambles to keep Andhra MPs together PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana‎ has reportedly been given the task of ensuring that all Congress MPs stay together even as Congress Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy contemplates a decision to resign. CNN-IBN quoting sources, said that Reddy is apprehensive of the support he is likely to get if he launches his own political party, as his number of supporters seems to be dwindling. This comes on the back of reports that Reddy will resign today. "The whole country says the (Telangana) bill for division is undemocratic. Still, they say that we will go ahead and make the bill win by hook or crook, pass even by voice vote. In this situation, there is a need for a new party. Kiran Kumar Reddy would definitely form a new party and try to keep the state united," state Law Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy  had said. "We actually decided that we should quit on (February) 16th. But, main opposition BJP says that the bill has not been tabled. Chief Minister is not quitting today to strengthen that. When it is officially announced that the bill has been tabled in parliament, then he will quit and all of us would quit," he said. 9.00 am: BJP to meet and finalise strategy BJP MPs will meet to discuss their final strategy with regards to the Telangana bill in Parliament. The party has been maintaining that the bill was never tabled in the house on Thursday. Meanwhile the government had reached out to the BJP to seek its support in passage of the contentious Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill with Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde wanting the opposition party to spell out its concerns on the issue. Sources said during the meeting in Parliament House where Shinde was accompanied by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, BJP asked the government to put its own house in order and address the concerns of the Seemandhra region while cautioning it not to pass the bill amid din and without a discussion. Among the BJP leaders whom Shinde and Ramesh met were LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley besides M Venkaiah Naidu. The meeting lasted around 40 minutes. The ministers told the BJP leaders that some issues have already been dealt with in the bill and that they will get back on the amendments the government proposed to bring. 8.00 am: Reddy to quit as Congress prepares to pass bill in LS T-day could finally be upon us, with the Congress planning to pass the Telangana bill in the Lok Sabha today, after having tabled it amid an unprecedented pepper spray attack on Thursday. The attack, which was carried out by expelled Congress leader L Rajagopal, saw the suspension of 17 Seemandhra MPs in total. The MPs who had been protesting in the well of the house for the last two Parliament sessions, had vowed not to allow the bill to be tabled. Despite the suspensions however, there are still likely to be protests in the well of the house, and plenty of disruptions. Seemandhra MPs protesting in the well of the house: PTI And to add to the complications, although the Congress says that Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde tabled the bill, opposition parties including the BJP and TMC insist it was never tabled. It has been accepted by Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, but is however, likely to be another issue of contention when Parliament resumes later this morning. The Congress party's woes however, don't just end there. Over two dozen MPs from Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) will stage a dharna in parliament demanding grant of special status to the state, JD-U state president Vashisht Narain Singh Monday said. "JD-U MPs will put pressure on the central government by staging dharna in the premises of the parliament," Singh said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has once again linked the grant of special status to development in the hope of JD-U sweeping the state's 40 seats in the next Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is reportedly contemplating resigning from his post against the state's division and launching a new political party. According to CNN-IBN, Reddy is all set to resign in the next 24 hours and may announce the formation of a new party. "The whole country says the (Telangana) bill for division is undemocratic. Still, they say that we will go ahead and make the bill win by hook or crook, pass even by voice vote. In this situation, there is a need for a new party. Kiran Kumar Reddy would definitely form a new party and try to keep the state united," state Law Minister Erasu Pratap Reddy  had said. "We actually decided that we should quit on (February) 16th. But, main opposition BJP says that the bill has not been tabled. Chief Minister is not quitting today to strengthen that. When it is officially announced that the bill has been tabled in parliament, then he will quit and all of us would quit," he said. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday assured central ministers and party MPs from Seemandhra that justice would be done to their region while carving out a separate Telangana state. Union Minister of State for Finance JD Seelam told reporters after a meeting with Gandhi that they submitted their demands which include making Hyderabad a union territory for a specific period, sharing of revenue of Hyderabad between Telangana and Seemandhra and special packages for north coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, and hoped these would be considered. Earlier Monday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters, "The Telangana bill will come up for discussion in the Lok Sabha on 18 Februrary," adding those who want to oppose it can do so "in a parliamentary manner". The minister said Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to speak on the issue as well. The Congress has issued a three-line whip to its members to be present in the house on all days of the week to ensure the passage of the Telangana bill.