The first day of the winter session of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly that began on Monday ended without any business being transacted as the opposition members disrupted proceedings.

They were demanding a discussion over the issue of minimum support price for paddy. 

Opposition members came waving sheaves of paddy and groundnut plants as a protest against the government’s indifference to the farmers’ problems.

Drama marked the day with Opposition Leader N Chandrababu Naidu clad in party colour of yellow, coming to the house in a tractor to express solidarity with the “suffering” farmers of the state. The police however did not allow the tractor into the assembly premises.

Earlier, he had to give up his plan to come in a bullock cart as the police confiscated the bullocks.  They also arrested several party activists to prevent them from leading a procession to focus attention on the farmers’ plight.

Later in the day, Telugu Desam Party members sat in protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the assembly with their mouths gagged with black ribbon.  They were   protesting against the “personal abuse” heaped on Mr Naidu by Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and his threat to “expose” him.

According to Naidu, the two of   them were participating in the Business Advisory Committee meeting called by the speaker to discuss the agenda for the rest of the session. When Naidu raised the issue of farmers, the CM accused him of dishonesty and reminded him of “neglect” of the farmers during his nine year rule. The exchange turned harsh.

Naidu said the CM asked him to “shut his mouth” and threatened to “expose” him.  Naidu said that it was unbecoming of the CM to use such language.