PNS | Vijayawada
The Eleventh Session of the XV Legislative Assembly kicked off with a tumultuous start as members of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) stormed the Assembly floor, protesting against the arrest of their leader, Chandrababu Naidu. This uproar resulted in the suspension of all TDP members for the day, with three of them facing suspension for the entire session.
The Assembly session commenced on Thursday, and during the question hour, TDP members submitted an adjournment motion notice, seeking to discuss the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu.
In a dramatic turn of events, opposition members rushed towards the speaker’s podium, tearing papers and flinging them at the speaker, demanding an immediate discussion on the alleged illegal arrest of Chandrababu.
Speaker Tammineni Sitaram declined their request, insisting that the issue could be discussed if proper notice was given under relevant parliamentary rules.
Minister Buggana urged the opposition members to follow the proper procedure for an adjournment motion and assured them that the government was willing to engage in discussions on various issues.
He also urged the opposition members to participate in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting to address their concerns. Minister Buggana accused the TDP members of causing disruptions merely to gain public attention, expressing his readiness to engage in a debate on an adjournment motion. In a concerning incident, Kotamreddy made an attempt to physically remove the speaker’s monitor.
Meanwhile, TDP member Balakrishna made a peculiar gesture, twisting his moustache while glaring at the ruling YSRCP members.
Minister Ambati Rambabu swiftly responded, advising Balakrishna to reserve such actions for the film industry and avoid them within the Assembly. He also cautioned TDP members against disrupting proceedings and provoking ruling party members. Minister Ambati Rambabu accused the TDP MLAs of attempting to create chaos and instructed security personnel to ensure the speaker’s safety. He recommended that TDP MLAs adopt a more appropriate approach to discussing Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest within the legislative house, emphasising the potential for undesirable incidents arising from their conduct.
In response to the disruptions, Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Sitaram suspended 14 TDP members and two YSRCP rebel MLAs for the remainder of the day, with Anagani Satyaprasad, Payyavula Keshav, and YSRCP rebel MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy facing suspension for the entire session.
The TDP legislators continued to disrupt the Assembly by hurling files onto the speaker’s podium, protesting the legal cases against Chandrababu. Speaker Tammineni Sitaram reprimanded Nandamuri Balakrishna for his conduct, cautioning against actions like twisting one’s moustache on the assembly floor.
The disruptions on the first day of the Assembly session underscore the escalating tension between the opposition and ruling parties, setting the tone for a potentially tumultuous session ahead.
