Date:18/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/18/stories/2006021809790400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Rebels' action in House shocks TRS leadership

Special Correspondent

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi leadership got a shock on Friday when four of its MLAs took part in the debate on the Governor's address after 11 of their colleagues were suspended.

Earlier during the day, 11 TRS MLAs were suspended from the House for two days by Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy for disrupting business for the second consecutive day.

Even as TRS Floor Leader G. Vijaya Rama Rao was sitting in his office, he was taken aback by the appearance of four party MLAs in the House led by D. Srinivasa Rao. The other three were B. Shara Rani, G. Mukund Reddy and T. Jayaprakash Reddy.

Rebel strategy

The four TRS members who had been at loggerheads with the party leadership of late reportedly worked out a strategy. Mr. Srinivasa Rao launched a vitriolic attack on his party leadership for stalling the House over the Polavaram project issue and heaped praised on the ruling Congress. Sources said the TRS leadership was considering the possibility of suspending the dissidents for using the Assembly as a forum for criticising it.