5 TDP members suspended from Andhra Pradesh Assembly amid pandemonium

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed unprecedented scenes as the House Marshals virtually manhandled the Telugu Desam Party legislators and pushed them away even as five members of the opposition were suspended from the House for the duration of the Budget session.

The suspension was a culmination of acrimonious scenes the House witnessed since the start on Monday morning as the principal opposition sought an immediate discussion on the illicit arrack tragedy in West Godavari district in which about 18 people reportedly died over the past few days.

The Speaker rejected the adjournment motion moved by the TDP and sought to take up regular business, which the opposition did not allow. The House was adjourned twice as there was no order for conduct of business.

Also read: Arrack deaths are 'murders by govt', says Chandrababu Naidu

The TDP MLAs were suspended when the proceedings resumed after the second adjournment and they continued with their protest.

Telugu Desam Legislature Party deputy leaders K Atchannaidu, Nimmala Ramanaidu, senior members Gorantla Butchaiah Choudary, Payyavula Keshav and D B V Swamy were those suspended.

Though the Speaker announced that Deputy Chief Minister (Health) A K K Srinivas would make a statement on the episode, the TDP members insisted on a discussion to bring out the facts.

The Speaker, however, did not allow that, while Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath said the opposition could raise the issue in a different format. The Marshals (plain clothes police personnel) came rushing into the House, after five TDP members were suspended, without the Speaker even calling them in.

Later, on Speaker T Seetaram's direction, the Marshals sought to evict the suspended TDP members and carried senior legislator Payyavula Keshav out. The Marshals tried to lift and carry another senior member Gorantla Butchaiah Choudary but the latter resisted the move and himself walked out.

The other suspended legislators also walked out of the House. It was then that the Marshals climbed onto the Speaker's podium and started pushing the other TDP members, who were already standing there on protest, away.

While there were nine TDP MLAs, who were not suspended, there were about 30 Marshals against them. There were five women Marshals who tried to shove the lone TDP woman member but the legislator strongly protested and did not let the former to prevail.

From the Speaker's podium, the remaining opposition members were forcibly pushed towards their seats. A couple of TDP members strongly objected to the Marshals' behaviour and tried to repulse, but were clearly outnumbered.

Strangely, the ruling YSR Congress adopted a 'pick and choose' policy, naming only those TDP MLAs, seniors who are most vocal, for suspension for the duration of the session (till March 25). Interestingly, four of those members were in fact standing only in the Well and another was on the Speaker's podium.

The other TDP members, who stood on the podium, tore papers and flung them in the air, were surprisingly spared any "disciplinary action."