Newindpress

Bangalore. Feb 15: Officiating Chairman N Thippanna on Tuesday suspended 26 agitating Congress members in the state Legislative Council for the rest of the Session for o stalling the proceedings of the House since nine days demanding immediate election for chairman's post.

Enraged by the decision of Thippanna, the Congress members have decided to petition Governor T N Chaturvedi to intervene in the matter. However, the ruling coalition termed the suspension as inevitable as the Opposition was stalling the proceedings of the House.

The Legislative Council has been witnessing an impasse for the last 10 days as the Opposition Congress's protest over the appointment of JD(S) member N Thippanna as an officiating chairman.

Earlier, as soon as the House assembled, Janata Dal (United) members M P Nadagowda and Basavaraj Bommai rushed to the well protesting the continuous adjournment of the House and they demanded discussions on burning issues like Cauvery, drought. Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress sticking to its earlier demand of conducting election to the post of Council Chairman.

This led to argument between treasury and opposition benches as both shouted slogans against each other.

In the midst of uproar, Tippanna, quoting rule 327(1) and (2) of the rules and procedure of the House ordered the suspension of 26 Congress members for for obstructing the conduct of the House and adjourned it for the day without transacting any business.

Later speaking to media persons, Opposition Leader H K Patil termed the suspension of Congress members as undemocratic, unconstitutional. ``It is a mockery of democracy. Officiating chairman Thipanna had no locus standi to suspend the members as his occupying the Chair itself was a crime,'' he said ``We will meet Governor Chaturvedi seeking his intervention,'' he added.

He said the council had witnessed an unprecedented act in which the ruling party, which was in a minority in the house, had suspended members of the Congress, enjoying a majority.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy accused the opposition Congress of not allowing the legislative council to discuss various burning issues, but being interested only in holding election to the council chairman's post.

Defending Thippanna's decision to suspend Congress members, the Minister said that there was no other option before him to conduct the house smoothly.