Eleven legislators suspended from Andhra assembly

Hyderabad: The issue of separate statehood to Telangana region rocked the state assembly for the third consecutive day on Friday with all members of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) suspended for three days.

As TRS members stalled proceedings to press their demand for adoption of a resolution seeking separate statehood to the region, Minister For Legislative Affairs K. Rosaiah moved a resolution for their suspension, which was passed with a voice vote.

All 11 members of TRS present in the house were suspended till February 18.

Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy's request to the suspended members to leave the house fell on deaf ears, forcing him to call the marshals, who removed the legislators.

It was the second time in as many days that TRS members were suspended from the house. On Thursday, 13 party legislators were suspended but their suspension was revoked on an appeal by other opposition parties.

As soon as the house met for the day, TRS stalled the proceedings, seeking adoption of a resolution while the main opposition Telugu Desam Party and the communist parties encircled the speaker's podium against the hike on petrol and diesel prices.

Debate

The speaker adjourned the house for 15 minutes. When the house reassembled, the speaker allowed the parties to take part in an impromptu debate on Telangana, which was set off by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's statement on the issue after the TRS members were suspended on Thursday.

TRS had 26 members in the 294-member assembly but 10 members revolted against the party leadership a year ago.