Andhra assembly session kicks off on stormy note

Hyderabad: The winter session of the Andhra Pradesh assembly began on a stormy note Thursday with the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) stalling the proceedings, forcing the speaker to adjourn the house.

It was trouble right from the word go as TDP members rushed to the speaker's podium seeking an assurance that he would take up the no-confidence motion moved by the party.

As soon as the five-day session began at 9 a.m., the TDP members were on their feet. Holding placards to highlight the problems of farmers, they rushed towards the speaker's podium.

TDP legislators did not even allow Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to move a condolence motion over the death of a sitting member belonging to the ruling Congress party.

"This is very unfortunate. It is unprecedented," remarked Speaker N. Manohar while appealing to the opposition to abide by the house traditions and rules.

The speaker adjourned the house for 10 minutes but it could resume only after an hour.

The chief minister then moved a condolence resolution over the death of Congress legislator Rajeswar Reddy.

The ruling party criticized TDP for stalling the condolence resolution. Minister for Civil Supplies D. Sridharbabu said such incident never took place in the assembly's history.

Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu said they only wanted the speaker to make an announcement about the receipt of the notice for no-confidence motion.

"We are only trying to corner the government on people's issues and some times, we have bring pressure on the speaker," Naidu said.

There was an argument between Naidu and the chief minister with the latter claiming that the government was fully prepared to face no-confidence motion and reply to the debate on all issues.

The house was adjourned to Friday after condolence resolution was passed. Earlier, TDP leaders submitted a notice to the speaker's office for a no-confidence motion against the government.

The TDP chief and other party legislators reached the assembly in a 'padyatra' from NTR Ghat, where they paid tributes to party founder N.T. Rama Rao at his 'samadhi'.

Naidu alleged that the government has failed to come to the rescue of farmers reeling under severe drought.

Tension prevailed near the assembly building as police stopped legislators and others of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) from entering the premises with placards.

TRS members were clad in black to protest the arrest of the party's politburo member Cheruku Sudhakar in Nalgonda district.

TRS is also demanding that the house pass a resolution demanding formation of a separate Telangana state.
 

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