Andhra assembly stalled over members’ suspension

HYDERABAD - The stalemate in the Andhra Pradesh state assembly over the Telangana issue Monday continued as opposition parties stuck to their demand for revoking the suspension of five legislators.

Deputy Speaker Nadenla Manohar adjourned the house twice amid pandemonium as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members stalled the proceedings, demanding that he revoke the suspension of the five members.

Three legislators of the TRS and two of the TDP were suspended from the house for a week on Friday for their unruly behaviour during Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan’s address to the joint session of the two houses of the state legislature a day earlier.

The TDP’s suspended member Revant Reddy was stopped at the entrance by the marshals, leading to heated arguments between the security staff and TDP legislators.

Inside the house, the opposition parties strongly demanded that the suspension be revoked. Leader of opposition and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu also supported the demand.

The ruling Congress party opposed this. Labour Minister Danam Nagender said it was shameful to make the demand as the five legislators put the entire state to shame by their attitude.

Nagender said the suspension may be revoked only if the members apologise to people.

The minister’s remarks again evoked strong protests from the TDP and TRS members and the furore led to the adjournment of the house.

The house could not transact any business Friday after Deputy Speaker Manohar suspended five members.

The legislators from Telangana had almost attacked the governor, snatched papers from him, uprooted the mike and even pulled down chairs.

They were protesting against the governor for not mentioning Telangana issue during his speech. The unprecedented ruckus had forced the governor to cut short his speech.