LS adjourned over Telangana

Lok Sabha was today adjourned minutes after it met for the day as TDP members from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema disrupted proceedings protesting against the announcement for a separate Telangana.

As the House met for Question Hour, TDP members opposed to division of Andhra Pradesh displayed placards which said, "We want united AP", and rushed to the Well raising slogans.

TDP members K Narayana Rao, M Venu Gopala Reddy, N Kristappa and N Sivaprasad continued shouting slogans even as Speaker Meira Kumar asked them not to display placards, saying the members should observe "sanctity" of the House.

Congress members from Telangana countered the TDP members by showing placards favouring a separate state and raised "Jai Telangana" slogans.

However, the clear divide between members from Telangana and Andhra irrespective of party affiliations came out openly.

While TDP member from Telangana R Ramesh favoured a separate state and displayed a "Jai Telangana" placard, Congress members from Andhra and Rayalseema too were on their feet demanding united Andhra Pradesh.

In the din, Ministers Mamata Banerjee and Dayanidhi Maran replied to a question each.

Amid pandemonium, Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF) member S K Bwiswmuthiary too rushed to the well with a placard demanding separate statehood for Bodoland and raised slogans.

As repeated pleas by the Chair to TDP and BPF members to return to their seats and a promise that they would be heard during Zero Hour went unheeded, the House was adjourned for 15 minutes.