Hyderabad, March 03: Slogan shouting by TDP, BJP and CPI MLAs in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly forced its adjournment for half-an-hour this morning.
TDP MLAs from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions rose to their feet as soon as the House began and raised slogans in support of a unified state.
To counter them, BJP and CPI, which have two and four MLAs, respectively, raised slogans in favour of Telangana. The two parties, in fact, gave notices for an adjournment motion for a discussion on the statement made by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on the statehood issue.
Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar, however, disallowed the adjournment motions.
As the slogan shouting continued, Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu appealed to the members to let the House transact business. The statehood issue could be discussed during the debate on Budget and the Government would respond to it, he said.
Manohar told the agitated members that”we don’t want to flare up emotions here”and appealed to the members to”maintain calm and dignity”.
BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy pressed for a discussion on the Union Home Minister’s statement, but the Deputy Speaker rejected the plea since the adjournment motion was disallowed.
But the TDP members continued to raise pro-Andhra Pradesh slogans, while the BJP and the CPI MLAs countered it with”Jai Telangana”slogans.
With no order in sight, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the proceedings for half-an-hour.
–PTI