Jaganmohan Reddy faces flak from Andhra Pradesh Speaker; two of his MLAs suspended

HYDERABAD: YSR Congress President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's strategy to pin down the TDP-led government backfired in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly as he himself earned the wrath of the Speaker, while two of his party MLAs faced suspension from the House today.
The Telugu Desam Party moved a (breach of) privilege motion against YSRC MLA Chevireddi Bhaskara Reddy for "casting aspersions" on Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao.

The ruling party also launched a frontal attack on the Leader of Opposition, calling him an "economic terrorist" and other names, as the House virtually did not function after Question Hour due to unruly scenes created by YSRC members.

The Speaker pulled up Jagan, saying "don't try to mislead the House" when the YSRC chief sought to complain that he was being denied an opportunity to speak.

"Your own (party) members are not allowing you to speak. As the Leader of Opposition, I have given you ample opportunity to speak. When the House is not in order, how can you express resentment?" Kodela angrily questioned Jagan.

Asserting that "you are misusing the opportunity" (to speak in the name of lodging a protest), the Speaker appealed to the YSRC leader and legislators to allow the House to run.

It all happened after the Question Hour when Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu was asked by the Speaker to reply to the debate on the Annual Financial Statement.

The Opposition members stormed the Speaker's podium insisting their leader Jagan be allowed to continue his debate on the Budget even as the Finance Minister started his reply.

The Speaker told the YSRC members Jagan had already utilised the 90-minute time allotted to him and even spoke for extra duration. But the YSRC MLAs remained adamant and sought to stall the House, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the proceedings for 15 minutes.

The Opposition MLAs remained on their feet in the Well of the House raising slogans and picking up an argument with the Speaker. At one point, YSRC MLA M Mani Gandhi broke the mike on the Speaker's podium, forcing a second adjournment.

When the House resumed, the Finance Minister, who also holds Legislative Affairs portfolio, moved a motion against Gandhi and another MLA R Sivaprasad Reddy for suspending them from the House for remainder of the session (till September 6) for "breaking the mike and also trying to attack the Speaker".

The motion was carried but the suspended MLAs refused to withdraw from the House. As the YSRC members squatted in the Well, the Speaker adjourned the House the third time for ten minutes and subsequently for the day.