TDP, TRS members suspended from AP Assembly

Telugu Desam Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi members were suspended for stalling the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Leader of the Opposition and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and TRS floor leader G Vijayarama Rao were among those suspended.

The suspended MLAs were later evicted from the House by the marshals.

Speaker K R Suresh Reddy announced the suspension of TDP and TRS members who were obstructing proceedings of the Assembly on different issues raised.

Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India-Marxist members also staged a walkout.

The trouble arose as soon as the Assembly commenced its sitting at 8.30 am. The speaker disallowed the adjournment notices given by the opposition parties.

TDP, CPI-M and CPI sought to raise the issue of 'police attack' on TDP MLAs and their arrest in Anantapur district when they were proceeding to inspect the mines at Obulapuram.

TDP members raised slogans condemning the arrests of their colleagues and demanded action against the police officials.

They also sought a judicial probe by a sitting high court judge and cancellation of the mining lease.

At the same time, TRS members, who had given an adjournment notice on the Government Order 34 pertaining to micro-irrigation, loudly protested against disallowing their motion and raised slogans demanding cancellation of the GO which hit the interests of Telangana.

As repeated appeals to the agitating members to resume their seats fell on deaf ears, the speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House re-assembled, the TDP and TRS members continued their protests. As TDP members rushed towards the podium and created unruly scenes, the speaker ordered their suspension for the question hour.

Minister for Agriculture N Raghuveera Reddy, on behalf of the minister for Legislative Affairs, moved a motion under rule 340 (sub-rule 1) for suspension of 21 TDP members from the service of the House for the question hour.

When TRS members, too, rushed into the well of the House and created a commotion, the speaker ordered the suspension of 13 TRS members for the question hour only.

After the motion was moved by the agriculture minister, the speaker told the suspended members to leave the House.

When they refused to go out voluntarily, marshals were called in to evict them from the House.

Most of the suspended members were bodily lifted and taken out by marshals while Chandrababu Naidu walked away.

Marking their protest against the suspension of TDP members, CPI-M and CPI members staged a walkout from the Assembly.

CPI-M floor leader Nomula Narasimhaiah and CPI flood leader Chada Venkat Reddy condemned the 'police action' against TDP leaders at Obulapuram.

Later, the suspended TRS members staged a dharna at Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Assembly complex.

MLA Nayani Narasimha Reddy said they were not satisfied with the government's readiness to make a statement on the GO 34 and they wanted the GO to be annulled.

The GO, he said, would adversely affect the interests of farmers in Telangana region by curtailing the irrigation facilities under Nagarjunasagar and other projects in the name of 'micro-irrigation.'