Date:08/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/12/08/stories/2004120803171700.htm

Back AP: Winter session generates heat on day one itself

Our Bureau

Hyderabad , Dec. 7

UPROARIOUS scenes were witnessed in the State Assembly on the first day of the winter session on Tuesday and the house was adjourned for the day without transacting any business.

As soon as the House was convened in the morning, the Opposition Telugu Desam Legislature Party (TDLP) moved an adjournment motion on "irregularities" in the tenders of irrigation projects and insisted that the Speaker, Mr K.R. Suresh Reddy, allow it.

The Speaker disallowed the motion but posted the subject for short discussion by the members later in the day. In protest, the TDLP members stood up raising slogans and displaying placards.

The TDLP Deputy Leader, Mr T. Devender Goud, said that irregularities in the tenders of the irrigation projects were the "biggest scandal" since the formation of the Andhra Pradesh State and hence his party had moved the adjournment motion.

The Minister for Finance and Legislative Affairs, Mr K. Rosaiah, said that the Government was prepared for a discussion on both the tenders as well as the irrigation projects and asked the members to maintain the dignity of the House. The Speaker said that he would convene the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) after tea break to discuss the adjournment motion moved by TDLP. As the TDLP members continued to disturb the proceedings, the Speaker adjourned the House for tea break.

When the House reassembled after 50 minutes, the TDLP members rushed to the Speaker's podium demanding that the adjournment motion be allowed. Following this, the members of the ruling Congress Party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi started raising slogans and displaying posters, plunging the House into a pandemonium.

As his efforts to persuade the TDLP members to resume their seats failed, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.

Later, addressing a press conference, Mr Rosaiah said that the TDLP members were not interested in discussing the issue in the House as "they have no material to substantiate their charges against the Government." The TDLP members wanted discussion only on tenders but there were no tenders without irrigation projects and both the subjects should be discussed together, he said.