15 YSRCP MLAs Suspended For Stalling Assembly

As many as 15 MLAs of the YSR Congress Party were suspended for a day on Thursday for disrupting the proceedings of the State Legislative Assembly.

5 YSRCP MLCs were also suspended for a day from Legislative Council.

The YSRCP MLAs continued to stall the proceedings of the House, demanding a resolution to be taken to keep Andhra Pradesh united before debate on the Telangana Bill is started.

As soon as the House met at 9am on Thursday, the YSRCP members trooped into the well raising "Jai Samaikyandhra" slogans.

They were countered by TRS and TDP MLAs from the Telangana region who raised pro Telangana slogans.

YSRCP's Y S Vijaya Lakshmi and TDP's Anand Babu also moved adjournment motion notices, seeking a resolution on united AP.

With the YSRCP members not responding to the appeals to resume the seats, Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the House for half-an-hour.

Similar scenes of uproar were witnessed when the House met again at 11.13am.

Vijay Lakshmi insisted that the House first pass a resolution to keep the state united before taking up debate on the Telangana Bill.

Further, she added that the the Bill should be subjected to "clause-by-clause" voting.

The Speaker reminded that all floor leaders including Vijay Laksmi agreed to take up debate on the Telangana Bill during the BAC meeting.

"But the YSRCP MLAs are not cooperating," he said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy said that all members have a right to express their views and the Telangana Bill should be respected as it has been sent by the President of India.

He stated that the Bill has been sent only for views, and general voting will be done only if required.

Anam said that the stand taken by YSRCP is wrong.

Anam also expressed regret that the Assembly couldn't take up any business for the last 10 sessions.

TDP's P Keshav accused the YSRCP of hijacking the session.

He alleged that YSRCP chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy isn't against the bifurcation although he is "enacting dramas" in favour of Samaikyandhra.

Amidst uproar, the Speaker again adjourned the House for half-an-hour at 11.37am.

The YSRCP members continued shouting slogans when the House reassembled again at 12.28pm.

Having failed to convince the YSRCP members to resume their seats, the Speaker asked Legislative Affairs minister S Sailajanath to move the resolution for the suspension of 15 MLAs for a day.

The MLAs who were suspended include Amarnath Reddy, Golla Baburao, Thellam Balaraju, Mekapati Chandrashekhar Reddy, Gurnath Reddy, Bhumana,Dharmana Krishna Dasu, Kapu Ram Chandrasekhar Reddy, Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, Shoba Nagi Reddy, Srikanth Reddy, Balaneni Srinivas Reddy, K.Srinivasulu, Mekathoti Sucherita,and Venkat Ramireddy.

When the members refused to leave the house, the Speaker called in the marshals, who removed the MLAs by force.

As a mark of protest, YSRCP floor leader Vijay Lakshmi also walked out of the House.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu were also present in the House. (INN)