Amaravati, Mar 15 (IANS): Twelve MLAs of the opposition TDP along with a rebel MLA of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) were on Wednesday suspended from Andhra Pradesh Assembly.
Speaker Tammineni Seetharam announced the suspension of the 13 legislators for disrupting the proceedings and misleading the House.
Telugu Desam Party's Payyavula Keshav and Nimmala Ramanaidu, and YSRCP's Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy were suspended for the entire budget session, while the remaining MLAs were suspended for one day.
The TDP MLAs suspended for the day are B. Ashok, K. Atchannaidu, Adireddy Bhavani, N. Chinna Rajappa, Ganababu, G. Rammohan, M. Ramaraju, G. Ravi Kumar, E. Sambashiva Rao and D. Bala Veeranjanayaswamy.
The Speaker initially suspended only two TDP members, Keshav and Ramanaidu. Keshav repeatedly requested the chair to give him a mike to participate in the debate on the issue of receiving Governor.
He tried to disrupt ministers and ruling YSRCP members when they were speaking. The Speaker announced the suspension of Keshav and Ramanaidu for the rest of the session.
The TDP leaders took strong objection to the Speaker suspending them without the government moving any suggestion. Finance minister B. Rajendranath stood up to request the Speaker to suspend the two members.
The Speaker once again announced the suspension of the TDP members.
The Speaker asked the suspended members to leave the House but they, along with other members of their party continued the protest. At this juncture, minister Ambati Rambabu said unless all TDP members are suspended they will not allow the house to function. After the request of another minister Dadisetti Raja, the Speaker announced suspension of all TDP legislators.
The Speaker also suspended YSRCP's rebel MLA Sridhar Reddy for staging a protest near the Speaker's podium since morning.
He wanted problems in his constituency to be resolved. Ministers targeted Sridhar Reddy for betraying the party.
The Speaker later announced suspension of the MLA for the rest of the session.