AP: 3 TDP MLAs suspended from Assembly

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Deputy Speaker Kona Raghupati on Tuesday suspended three Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs, K Acchennaidu, Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdari and N Ramanaidu from the Assembly.

They have been suspended until the end of the Budget session.

Nara Lokesh, TDP General Secretary and former minister in a tweet said, "This is what happens in the Rajanna Rajyam (YSR's rule) - if we stand for people."

The suspension came in when during the Question Hour, TDP MLA Ramanaidu asked for clarity on YSRCP election promise of pension for SC, ST, backward castes, minorities and women at the age of 45, to which YSRCP minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said that no such promise was made.

Supporting his minister, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy intervened and exhibited a video of his speech during an election campaign.

Not satisfied with the Chief Minister's response, the MLAs wanted to exhibit a video available with them but were not allowed to do so and the Speaker went on to proceed with other questions.

TDP MLAs started protesting and even climbed the Speaker's podium to stall further proceedings in the House. Following the ruckus, Legislative Affairs Minister B Rajendranath proposed to suspend the three TDP MLAs - Acchennaidu, Chowdari and Ramanaidu - for the session.

The proposal was accepted by the Deputy Speaker who was in the chair and the MLAs were suspended.

However, TDP MLAs did not leave and started raising slogans against the government after which the marshals had to take them out of the House.