TDP MLAs suspended from Andhra Pradesh assembly for second straight day

For a second consecutive day on Friday, opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators were suspended from Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Speaker Tammineni Seetharam suspended 13 MLAs of the TDP for stalling the proceedings of the House through their protest in the well.

The Speaker announced the suspension after minister for Finance and Legislative Affairs Buggana Rajendranath Reddy moved a resolution.

The TDP members were insisting on a debate on price rise and taxes. As soon as the House met for the day, the TDP legislators were on their feet after the Speaker rejected their adjournment motion. They trooped into the well of the House, surrounded the Speaker's chair and raised slogans.

The opposition members said that since price rise and taxes have imposed a burden on the common man, the issue should be discussed by adjourning other items on the agenda.

The Speaker took strong exception to TDP members' unruly behaviour and asked them to resume their seats and co-operate in running the House proceedings in a smooth manner.

As the TDP members continued their protest, the government moved the resolution to suspend them for one day.

After the suspension, the Speaker directed the TDP members to leave the House. When they refused, he called the marshals to evict the suspended members.

The opposition legislators took strong exception to the use of marshals. The Speaker, however, maintained that he has the powers to do so.

All 13 suspended legislators were physically lifted out of the House.

The TDP members were suspended on Thursday when the TDP members staged protest demanding the Speaker to give an opportunity to P. Keshav to respond to certain allegations made by ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) members against him with regard to alleged irregularities in Amaravati land transactions.