TD disrupts State Legislative Council session on Day 1

VIJAYAWADA: Opposition Telugu Desam legislators led by N. Lokesh disrupted the State Legislative Council’s 41st session on its very first day on Thursday. They trooped into the well of the house, climbed on to the podium holding placards denouncing YSR Congress government for not fulfilling its promise of providing employment to youth and giving stipend to the unemployed.

Soon after council chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju started the Question Hour, TD MLCs trooped into the well asking about the fate of poll promises made by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy about extending unemployment stipend to educated youth and generating nearly 2.30 lakh jobs. Soon, opposition legislators raised slogans saying if unemployed youth want jobs, CM Jagan should go, so that Telugu Desam led by its chief N. Chandrababu Naidu could form the government and provide jobs.

The 58-member council witnessed pandemonium and disruption with TD members raising slogans continuously, while the ministers replied to questions raised by members. As the opposition members climbed up the podium, the council chairman named TD members, including Batchula Arjunudu, Deepak Reddy and Ashok Babu, asking them to stop disrupting the proceedings.

But when TD members persisted, Moshenu Raju advised them to get back to their seats and raise the issue in a different format, so that he could allow a discussion on their demand. When opposition MLCs still did not pay heed, the chairman said TD members are intentionally disrupting the proceedings in the council only to get suspended from the session.

With no change in the attitude of opposition members, Moshenu Raju announced a tea break for 10 minutes.

Deputy Chief Minister Kottu Satyanarayana defended the state government saying that for the first time even in the history of the country, it had generated 1.30 lakh jobs at one go in AP.

Civil supplies minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao turned sarcastic when he said only TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and his son Lokesh have lost their political jobs, while a good number of unemployed youth have found employment in the state soon after YSRC government assumed power.

Education minister Botsa Satyanarayana asked the chairman to bring the house into order for conducting the business. He maintained that the government is ready to answer all questions raised by TD and other opposition parties on any issue.

The council chairman called marshals to stand guard at the podium for running the council session after tea break.