Five Andhra MLAs suspended from Assembly

Five MLAs - three from the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti and two from the Telegu Desam Party -- were suspended for seven days from the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for unruly behaviour during Governor E S L Narasimhan's address to the joint Legislature session.

The Assembly was adjourned for the day without anyother business being transacted on Friday, as TRS and TDP MLAs stormed the Speaker's podium and raised slogans on Telangana and fee reimbursement issues, respectively.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy strongly denounced yesterday's chaos where TRS MLAs and a couple of TDP Telangana legislators had created a bedlam and virtually manhandled the governor while he was delivering his customary address to the joint session.

"The issue should be referred to the ethics committee of the Legislature. There could be a justified issue which the members could raise in the House but what happened yesterday was totally unprecedented. We have to strongly condemn such undesirable acts," Kiran Kumar said.

He was speaking after Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu moved a motion seeking suspension of the MLAs. Accordingly, T Harish Rao, K Sammaiah, Vidyasagar (all TRS), A Revanth Reddy and P Mahender Reddy (both TDP) were suspended.

Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar termed the behaviour of some of the members as "unruly, unjustified and uncalled for" and observed that the incidents in the House yesterday were "shameful for democracy".

"We have not been able to follow the high standards of public life that we are expected to. Members have to rise above their petty issues and safeguard the dignity of the House," Manohar noted.

Asserting that it was the responsibility of every member to uphold the values of the House, he said severe action was warranted against the members who misbehaved. Sridhar Babu endorsed these views and said yesterday's incidents in the House were "totally unwanted." The Assembly was then adjourned till Monday.

Earlier, proceedings were disrupted by MLAs of TDP and TRS as well as those from Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's group on different issues, forcing adjournment twice. TRS and TDP MLAs stormed the Speaker's podium holding placards on Telangana and fee reimbursement issues as soon as the proceedings began. This led to a 10-minute adjournment.

Government Chief Whip Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka sought to move a privilege motion over yesterday's incidents. The deputy speaker said he would examine the notice and take a decision.

When the House re-assembled half an hour later, the TDP and TRS members continued the protest, standing in the Well of the House.