Congress U-turn, TDP Walkout Save Rebel MLAs

The whips issued by the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party to their MLAs in connection with the Appropriation Bill 2014-15, introduced and passed in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, proved meaningless with both the Parties adopting a surprising stand.

The Congress Legislature Party had issued a whip to all its 22 MLAs who were elected on a Congress ticket in the last Assembly elections.

The 22 MLAs include Vithal Reddy, Redya Naik, Kanakaiah and Yadaiah who defected to the TRS

Similarly, the TDP too had issued a whip to all its legislators including Teegala Krishna Reddy, T Srinivas Yadav and C Dharma Reddy who recently switched loyalties to the TRS.

Political analysts believed that the whips were aimed primarily at fixing the rebel MLAs.

Speaking on the Appropriation Bill on Friday, Congress MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy had also demanded that the Congress reject the Bill, and wanted division during the voting. The rebel MLAs would have attracted the provisions of the anti-defection law if they had voted in favour of the Bill.

However, before the conclusion of the debate, the Party's floor leader and Leader of the Opposition K Jana Reddy took a U-turn and announced the Congress Party's support to the Bill. This move saved all four rebel MLAs from facing action.

Similarly, the TDP staged a walkout while the Bill was being passed. Instead of against the Appropriation Bill, the walkout was in protest against the TRS MLAs' opposition to Revanth Reddy's speech in the House.

By staging the walkout, the TDP saved its rebel MLAs from getting caught in the net of the Anti-Defection Law. (INN)