11 TD members suspended for day for stalling assembly

VIJAYAWADA: Furore continued for the fifth consecutive day in AP Legislative Assembly on Saturday with Telugu Desam MLAs demanding to know why Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy visited Delhi when the house is in session.

Moving an adjournment motion soon after the proceedings started with the Question Hour, the TD members alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy had gone to Delhi for personal gain and demanded disclosure of the details.

Legislative affairs minister Buggana Rajendranath made it clear that such an adjournment motion is against the traditions of the House. He recalled that in the past N. Chandrababu Naidu had been to Delhi 35 times as chief minister but no discussion had taken place on them.

Heated arguments took place between the treasury and opposition benches over the issue. Angry TD members tore copies of the agenda, repeatedly shouted slogans and climbed onto Speaker’s podium. Speaker Tammineni Sitaram tried to pacify the TD MLAs but could not succeed.

Rajendranath said opposition members are intentionally creating trouble and wasting the time of the House. Minister Dadisetti Raja requested the Speaker to take action against the opposition members.

As TD legislators continued to protest airing slogans that the CM’s Delhi visit had not been in interests of the state but in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s self-interest, the legislative affairs minister moved a resolution seeking suspension of the opposition members.

Speaker Sitaram then suspended for the day TD members Bendalam Ashok, K. Atchannaidu, Adireddy Bhavani, Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Ganababu, Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu, Mantena Ramaraju, Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Yeluru Sambasiva Rao, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy and Gadde Rammohan Rao.