Hyderabad: Main opposition Telugu Desam
Party stalled the proceedings of Andhra Pradesh Assembly for the second consecutive day Thursday demanding that the government constitute a Joint Legislative Committee to probe into the
"indiscriminate land allotments" in the last six years.
The House was adjourned twice this morning as the TDP
members stormed the Speaker`s podium and demanded that the JLC
be constituted to probe the land deals.
Also, the ruling Congress legislators from Telangana once
again raised pro-statehood slogans leading to a din in the
House.
The TDP members, who stalled the House yesterday on the
same issue, continued with their agitation as soon as the
session began today and demanded a discussion through an
adjournment motion.
Officiating Speaker Nadendla Manohar disallowed the
adjournment motion.
Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu said the
issue could be discussed in another form and appealed to the
TDP members to let the House transact normal business.
But the Opposition members remained adamant on their
demand, leading to adjournment of proceedings for 30 minutes.
There was no change in the scene when the House resumed as the
TDP MLAs continued to remain in the Well.
There was a verbal duel between Legislative Affairs Minister Sridhar Babu and TDP MLA Payyavula Keshav.
Since the Chief Minister promised a high-level review of
all the land deals, there was no need for a JLC, Sridhar Babu
maintained.
Keshav disputed this saying they had no faith in the
"review" and insisted on constitution of a JLC. "We will
settle for nothing less than a JLC," he asserted.
He told the minister that they would stall the House till
their demand was conceded.
As order eluded, the officiating Speaker adjourned the
proceedings for another half an hour and invited floor leaders
of all parties for a meeting to break the deadlock.
At the meeting, the government reportedly turned down the
demand for a JLC even as other opposition parties CPI, CPM,
Lok Satta and Congress ally Praja Rajyam supported the TDP`s
demand.
PTI
