Date:19/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/19/stories/2006081908070400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Stop attacking Speaker, TD told

Special Correspondent

Leader of the Opposition wasting time of the House: CLP

Leader of Opposition using debates for mudslinging, says CLP

TDP advised to stop seeking publicity through `cheap gimmicks'

HYDERABAD: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) has asked the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs to stop attacking the Speaker for the latter's failure in taking any debate to a logical conclusion.

Addressing a press conference here after the House was adjourned, Ministers — N. Raghuveera Reddy and B. Satyanarayana — MLA V. Vasanthkumar and Government Whip B. Vedavyas said the Leader of Opposition was wasting valuable time of the House with his frivolous talk.

Instead of giving constructive suggestions and pinning down the Government on problem areas (if any), he was using the debates for mudslinging, they said. Justifying the adjournment of the House without the Government's reply, they said it was inevitable as the MLAs and the Ministers had to get back to the affected constituencies for relief work, which was of paramount importance to them.

They advised the TDP to stop seeking publicity through `cheap gimmicks' and put an end to denigrating the chair every day. "The Congress Government is here to alleviate people's misery but not to run away from its responsibilities as being alleged by the TDP."