Kavitha pitches US Senate-like powers for Rajya Sabha, equal seats for states

Hyderabad: Telangana Rakshana Sena founder K Kavitha on Saturday, May 2, proposed that the Rajya Sabha be re-envisioned along the lines of the United States Senate, with enhanced powers to determine the fate of legislation impacting states.

She also said the Centre should take a fixed population as the benchmark for deciding the number of seats under delimitation, even if some states lose representation in the process.

However, such losses could be compensated by giving every state an equal number of Rajya Sabha seats, irrespective of size.

Replying to a query during a “meet the press” programme, she said her criticism of former BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao was not personal but political.

“Some states may get more, some states may get less in delimitation—that is a different story. But the Rajya Sabha should be given Senate-like powers, like the US Senate. Every state should have a fixed number of representatives in the Rajya Sabha,” she said.

“The Rajya Sabha should be given powers similar to the Senate, where finance bills and all other bills should be placed before it. If the states do not agree, the bill should be stalled. That way, the power and importance of the states, as well as their political and financial security, will be ensured,” she added.

According to her, every state should have a fixed number of Rajya Sabha seats and voting rights so that a balance is maintained among all states.

“That will certainly uphold the Union and the federal structure of our Constitution and protect its spirit. I will send detailed notes to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and to the Delimitation Commission, if one is constituted,” she added.

Kavitha said her party would focus 95 per cent on Telangana issues.

Alleging that the BRS, Congress, and BJP are now riddled with corruption, she announced “Panchajanya,” a set of five promises, including free education and healthcare.