The Hindu : Front Page : Telugu Desam, Congress harden stand

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 23, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Telugu Desam, Congress harden stand

Special Correspondent

Sripadasagar: Naidu releases new documents as `further evidence'; 31 MLAs suspended

ON THE WARPATH: Suspended TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu and other MLAs coming out of the Assembly in Hyderabad on Wednesday. — Photo: Satish H.

HYDERABAD: There was no end in sight to the Sripadasagar controversy in the Assembly with the roller-coaster debate taking a new turn resulting in the suspension of 31 Telugu Desam Party members, including N. Chandrababu Naidu, and walkout by the rest of the Opposition.

On the other hand, after 16 days of debate, there was further hardening of stand by both the TDP and the ruling Congress. Releasing fresh documents as `further evidence' on what he claimed were irregularities committed by the Government in increasing the cost of the project by Rs. 400 crores, Mr. Naidu vowed to fight to the logical conclusion.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy was equally firm in reiterating that the Sripadasagar files would be available only with Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah.

He rejected the demand for placing the files before Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy. The Telugu Desam Party could not dub the Speaker partial and yet seek his services as a referee, he said. Tuesday's climactic debate was followed by further action.

TDP members obstructed question hour demanding that the files be placed before the Speaker.

Within no time, Legislative Affairs Minister K. Rosaiah read out a motion for their suspension.

Hasty action?

The CPI(M), TRS, CPI, MIM and BJP members walked out. TDP members later staged a dharna in the Speaker's ante-chambers while Congress MLAs sat near Mahatma Gandhi's statue asking Mr. Naidu not to obstruct `Jala Yagnam'.

Mr. Naidu viewed the Government's "hasty suspension" as having helped his cause. He claimed it helped control the damage his faux pas caused by his admission that his party furnished misleading figures in a starred question as part of "a deliberate" strategy. He said much had been made by the Congress and the media about his `slip of tongue'. Mr. Naidu significantly did not rule out the possibility of scrutinising the Government files in the Secretariat.

Justifying the suspension, Dr. Reddy said the TDP members forced the Government's hand by coming with the intention of disrupting the House. They had no interest in scrutinising the files and their documents were fabricated, he said. The Speaker, who was the focus of TDP's criticism, refused to be drawn into the controversy over the suspensions and criticism of his role. "They are entitled to their opinion. When the majority moves a motion, there is no point in putting it to vote," he said.

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