VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram on Monday suspended five MLAs of the opposition TDP from the House till the end of the Budget Session. K Atchannaidu, Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary, Nimmala Ramanaidu, Payyavula Kesav and Dola Bala Veeranjineya Swamy were suspended following acrimonious scenes in the House.
Soon after beginning the proceedings of the House, the TDP MLAs rushed to the well of the House and occupied the Speaker’s Podium, raising slogans holding the government responsible for the alleged hooch deaths in Jangareddygudem of West Godavari district.
Even as the Speaker started the Question Hour, the TDP MLAs raised slogans demanding a debate on the series of deaths in Jangareddygudem. The Speaker adjourned the House for a while. After the commencement of the proceedings of the House, the opposition MLAs continued their sloganeering demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister. They also tore the placards and tossed them on the Speaker. Despite repeated appeals from the Speaker to resume their seats, the TDP members remained on the podium and continued sloganeering, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for the second time.
The TDP legislatures continued to disrupt the proceedings when the house resumed its functioning. Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath moved a motion suspending the five TDP MLAs. With the suspended MLAs remaining in the floor even after the announcement, Marshals entered the House and lifted some of the suspended MLAs out of the House while the remaining walked out of the House.
However, the remaining TDP MLAs continued to raise slogans till the adjournment of the House. Some of the TDP MLAs were seen jostling with the Marshals. Earlier in the day, TDP legislators led by party general secretary Nara Lokesh took out a rally outside the Assembly in protest against the government’s ‘failure’ to prevent the illicit liquor deaths in the State.