Deadlock continues in Andhra Pradesh assembly
In a spillover from the previous week, the Andhra Pradesh assembly remained paralysed Tuesday with opposition parties insisting on a debate on the liquor syndicate and Telangana issues.
Speaker N. Manohar had to adjourn the house for the day as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and other opposition parties stalled the proceedings.
As soon as the house met after a three-day break, TDP and TRS members trooped into the well of the house and surrounded the Speaker’s podium.
While TDP wanted the house to take up a debate on Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) raids on liquor syndicates and the alleged involvement of some ministers, TRS demanded a Telangana state.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the opposition members stalled proceedings.
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) members also pressed for a debate on alleged police harassment of Muslim youth in riot cases.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist wanted to raise the issue of an attack on its leader P. Madhu by MIM workers.
When repeated appeals by the Speaker failed to restore order, he adjourned the house for half hour.
Protesting the adjournment, TDP members squatted outside the Speaker’s chamber demanding that he run the house.
The Speaker later held a meeting with leaders of all parties to seek their cooperation to ensure smooth functioning of the house but it failed to break the ice.
When the house reassembled, opposition members continued shouting slogans. Amid the din, the speaker adjourned the house for the day.
TRS legislator Harish Rao said they did not get any assurance during the all-party meet on tabling a resolution on Telangana.
Earlier, TRS leader E. Rajender said they would not allow the government to run the house till it withdraws cases booked against students for participating in the Telangana movement and fulfils the promises made to government employees in the Telangana region after they called off a 42-day-long strike last year.
The budget session began Feb 13 but the house could not take up any business due to protests by the opposition.