Date:04/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/04/stories/2005030408490400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Congress denies TDP charges

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 3 . The Congress Legislature Party on Thursday rebutted the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members' charge that the Government was "running away" from the Assembly instead of responding to their queries.

Addressing a press conference, the Congress legislators -- G. Muddukrishnama Naidu, Suryaprakasa Rao, K. Krishnaiah and Dharmasri -- said it was the TDP, which was running away from debates on important issues. He cited the example of how the TDP had failed to submit a notice for discussion on its party MLA, Paritala Ravi's murder and then made an appeal to end the debate.

They said the TDP members were misusing the forum of the Assembly to hurl baseless allegations against the Congress Government and the Speaker. They were wasting time by rushing to the podium on flimsy grounds and speaking out of turn, throwing Assembly rules to the wind.