Roja Episode Rocks AP Assembly For Second Day

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly witnessed noisy scenes for the second day on Saturday over the issue of the suspension of YSR Congress Party member R K Roja, forcing its adjournment till Monday.

YSRCP president Jaganmohan Reddy and his MLAs, including Roja, all attired in black dresses as a mark of protest against the barring of entry for the suspended member into the Assembly premises, came in a procession to attend the session. As usual, the security personnel and woman marshals refused to allow Roja to enter the premises as directed by Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao.

When all their efforts to get the officials to allow Roja to take part in the proceedings as per the High Court orders did not have any impact, the YSR Congress members planned to stage a dharna at the foot of the Mahatma Gandhi statue.

When even this move was foiled by the marshals, Roja sat on a protest dharna outside on the road before the Assembly building while the other YSR Congress Party members created a ruckus in the House by storming into the well and the Speaker's podium even as the Question Hour was in progress.

The YSRCP members chanted slogans demanding justice for their suspended member. When all attempts failed to bring the House into order, the Speaker adjourned it for 10 minutes.

The slogan shouting and protests continued even after the House reassembled, forcing its adjournment for the second time. As there was no respite after the House reassembled with the protesting YSRCP members remaining adamant and continuing their slogans, the Speaker this time adjourned the House till Monday.

Meanwhile Roja who sat on a dharna on the road outside in the hot sun, fainted. The women members of her Party rushed and sat alongside her trying to provide her relief from the exhaustion. Jaganmohan Reddy reached the spot and enquired about her health condition from the doctors who came to examine her. Finding her condition to be very weak, the doctors rushed her to a hospital in an ambulance.

The YSRCP MLAs sat in a huddle after the adjournment of the Assembly and discussed the future course of action. The legislators then planned to stage a dharna at Ambedkar statue.

Meanwhile reports indicated that YSRCP supporters and workers were organizing protests in various parts of the State in the form of rallies and protest meetings.