Suspension of ruling party MPs unprecedented: CPI(M)

The ruling party MPs from Telangana region were suspended for repeatedly disrupting House proceedings to demand a separate state after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal moved a motion seeking their suspension.

"In 1988, 50-55 Opposition members were suspended following protests over Bofors issue. They included even those who were not present in the House. But this is the first time that ruling party members are being suspended by the ruling party itself. I have never seen this happening during my long tenure. It is unprecedented," senior CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia said.

Holding Congress responsible for the "distress" in the state over the Telangana issue, Acharia and his colleague Sitaram Yechury said the onus lay with that party as it was ruling both at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh.

"It is the Congress which has to take a decision. All major parties have given their opinion on the issue to the government. In spite of this, the Centre is not taking a decision. This has caused sufficient damage and distress in the state," Yechury said.

When pointed out that the state assembly had not yet passed a resolution seeking creation of a separate Telangana, he said "this is not technically required under the Constitution.... It only helps facilitating matters. But all this is infructuous as the Congress has to take a decision first because it is ruling in Andhra and the Centre".