The Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative assembly, Tammineni Sitaram has suspended 15 MLAs of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and one rebel YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLA due to their alleged misbehaviour during the assembly session on Thursday, September 21.
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly witnessed some heated moments as the members of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) raised slogans protesting the arrest of their president Chandrababu Naidu, who is currently in the Rajahmundry jail in connection with the alleged Skill Development scam. The TDP legislators issued an adjournment motion notice and demanded the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLAs to hold discussions on the arrest of Naidu.
The suspended TDP MLAs are – Ashok Bedalam, K Atchannaidu, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Adireddy Bhavani, G Butchaiah Chowdary, N Chinarajappa, Gana Venkata Reddy Naidu, Ram Mohan Naidu, Payyavula Keshav, M Ramaraju, G Ravikumar, Y Samba Siva Rao, G Ram Mohan, D Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, V Ramakrishna Babu. Undavalli Sridevi who was suspended from YSRCP, also was suspended. All these 16 MLAs were suspended for a day.
The actions of the opposition members were considered as dishonoring the house
TDP legislators Payyavula Keshav, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Anagani Satyaprasad were suspended for the entire session.
There were tense moments in the house when Water Resources Minister YSRCP MLA Ambati Rambabu confronted actor and TDP’s Hindupur MLA Balakrishna for reportedly challenging YSRCP MLAs by twirling his mustache and slapping his thighs, his signature style in movies. Rambabu accused TDP MLAs of provoking them and threatened to attack them. As the situation escalated, the Speaker adjourned the session.
The visuals of Balakrishna’s gestures were not shown. The camera significantly focussed only on the YSRCP MLAs, and avoided showing the protests by the opposition leaders.
Condemning the actor’s behaviour, the Speaker issued his first warning for indiscipline and an act of bringing dishonor to the house. “It is defaming the house to hurl papers, twirl his moustache and slap his thigh at the podium. I warn the MLA not to repeat these actions in future,” the Speaker warned Balakrishna.
As the session commenced, the TDP leaders reached the Speaker's podium with placards, and raised slogans condemning Naidu’s arrest, and calling it “illegal.” Finance Minister Buganna Rajendranath said that the ruling party members were ready for a discussion and added, “We are ready to hold discussion but the adjournment motion must be issued in the BAC meeting.”
TDP legislators issued an adjournment motion notice and demanded the ruling YSRCP MLAs to hold discussions on the arrest of Naidu.
TDP supremo and former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was arrested on September 9 for his alleged involvement in the alleged Skill Development scam. The state Crime Investigation Department (CID) arrested him alleging that he was involved in the misappropriation of Rs 371 crore. He is currently being lodged at the Rajahmundry Central Jail, after an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sent to a 14-day judicial remand.