Council Adjourned Without Business

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council was adjourned without transacting any business, for the 2nd consecutive day, on Wednesday.

As soon as the House assembled, the members of the Opposition - Telugu Desam, TRS and the Left parties - stalled the proceedings, demanding a discussion on different issues.

The lone TRS member, N Laxman Rao, wanted the House to pass a resolution on a separate Telangana. The Left party members demanded that the House debate the state's drought.

The main Opposition, the Telugu Desam Party, demanded discussions on the liquor scam. Further, the TDP wanted the liquor syndicate report to be placed in the House.

However, when Council chairman A Chakrapani rejected their adjournment motions, the Opposition members started raising slogans, leading to the House being adjourned for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Chairman held a meeting with all the floor leaders, and sought their cooperation in running the House smoothly. He also urged all the parties to cooperate in completing the Motion of Thanks on the Governor's address.

However, similar scenes ensued when the House re-assembled after 90 minutes.

Reacting to allegations in the liquor scam, Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy said that there were several important issues to be discussed, and that people would be robbed of their right if the Opposition parties continue to waste the House's time.

He said that was there was not a single incident in the history of the Assembly or the Council when ACB reports were tabled in the House.

Further, he said that the state government was yet to get the report from the ACB, and that therefore, the Opposition parties' demand was unfair.

In response, leader of the Opposition D Veerabhadra Rao said that the government was merely trying to avoid a discussion on the issue. He demanded a deadline for tabling the ACB report in the House.

Meanwhile, the Chairman asked Congress MLC Bhanu Prasad to speak on the Motion of Thanks. However, all the Opposition members gathered in the well and started raising slogans against the government, demanding the resignation of Prohibition & Excise Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana.

After trying in vain to restore order, the Chairman adjourned the House for the day. (INN)