HYDERABAD: Wednesday’s ugly spat in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly was followed on Thursday by a high drama with Opposition leader Y S Jaganmohan
Reddy staging a walkout and threatening to boycott the rest of the session alleging that Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao was not allowing them to speak, even as eight YSRC MLAs were suspended from the House for three days for their “inappropriate behaviour”.
Later, the YSRC MLAs led by Jagan called on Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan here and lodged a complaint against the Speaker. They then served a notice of no-confidence motion against the Speaker charging him with “behaving like a TDP man”.
“We would not attend the House until the House takes up a debate on the no-trust motion against the Speaker,” Jagan said.
Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, while describing the YSRC members’ behaviour in the House very unfortunate, said he never denied an opportunity to the members of the Opposition to air their views on any subject relating to people in the Assembly. Expressing regret over the suspension of the Opposition members, the Speaker said action had to be taken when necessary. Earlier in the day, around 10.30 am when Jagan was speaking on the state Budget, the Speaker cut his mike stating that he had exceeded his time limit.
Taken aback, a visibly enraged Jagan, said, “I will speak.” The Speaker replied with, “No, you can’t speak.” There was an argument between the Chair and the YSRC chief for a while.