Cong-TDP come close to exchanging blows in AP Assembly

[1]

Ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam Party MLAs almost came to blows in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly today after a minister heckled two TDP MLAs for displaying a placard denigrating supporters of late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

However, the tension eased in the evening with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy apologising to the House on behalf of Agriculture Minister Y.S. Vivekananda.

The minister too apologised to the Assembly over his behaviour, saying it was a rather 'emotional reaction' and he never intended to hurt any member.

Earlier when the House met for the day, Vivekananda, brother of the late chief minister, rushed towards TDP deputy leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu and tore away the placard that read, 'YSR dongala mutha' (YSR's gang of thieves) and also heckled another MLA Ch Prabhakar who was sitting there.

Sensing trouble, officiating Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the House immediately.

Earlier, MIM members trooped into the Well and raised the demand for constitution of a Joint Legislature Committee to probe 'illegal allotment' of Wakf land for industries and other purposes.

At the same time, the TDP members too stood up, holding placards demanding a JLC to probe all land allotments.

As TDP members held anti-YSR placards, Congress MLAs loyal to rebel leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy stood up to counter the TDP.

About half-a-dozen Congress MLAs from Telangana were also on their feet raising slogans in support of a separate state.

All of a sudden, the Agriculture Minister rushed menacingly towards the opposition benches and tore away the placard held by the TDLP deputy leader.

As he virtually tried to hit their fellow MLA, other TDP members rushed to his rescue and pushed Vivekananda away.

Immediately, the officiating Speaker adjourned the House. The standoff lasted seven hours with the main opposition Telugu Desam Party demanding the dismissal of the minister from the Cabinet forthwith.

After hectic behind-the-scenes lobbying, the government succeeded in convincing the opposition to accept an apology from the minister as well as the Chief Minister on the floor of the House.

The TDP demanded that the minister be dismissed from the Council of Ministers forthwith for his 'unruly and rowdy behavior' in the House.

A delegation of TDP MLAs met Manohar after the House was adjourned over the incident and demanded that the video footage related to the Agriculture Minister's actions be released to the media.

The TDP MLAs also asked the Deputy Speaker to report the issue to the Legislative Council Chairman as Viveka was a member of the Upper House of the state Legislature.

Manohar held a series of meetings with some ministers, the government Chief Whip and the floor leaders of all parties to resolve the issue.

As the Chief Minister was away attending a function in the University of Hyderabad, the government side said it would get back after discussing the issue with him.

The CPI and the CPM demanded that the Agriculture Minister be disqualified for six years from getting elected to either to the Assembly or the Council.

Lok Satta Party chief N Jayaprakash Narayan, while strongly condemning the minister's actions, demanded an unconditional apology to the House as well as people of the state.

As the TDP remained firm on its demand for dismissal of the minister, the government found it tough to broker a truce.

Initially, Vivekananda reportedly refused even to apologise but he relented upon the intervention of the Chief Minister.

"I expressed my regrets over what has happened in the House in the morning. I suddenly became emotional as the TDP started attacking my beloved brother late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who is no more in this world. In fact, the TDP has made it its daily agenda to lambast YSR even after his death. I could not tolerate the TDP branding my brother a thief and the Congress party a gang of thieves and I became emotional," Vivekananda said, reading out a statement when the House re-assembled after seven hours.

"I never behaved like this in the past but I became extremely emotional today," the minister added.

Terming the incident as 'unfortunate', the Chief Minister said, "We should forget such incidents. Ministers and members from the government side should be more restrained and enhance the dignity of the House. Since it was related to his family, the minister might have lost his temper," Kiran noted.

"I express my regrets to the House and hope such incidents do not recur," the Chief Minister added.

Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu said he had not seen such an incident in the House in the last 32 years of his political career.

"Vivekananda is also the floor leader in the Legislative Council and hence should behave more responsibly. If he has love for his brother, it should be limited to his house. If anyone in political life commits mistakes, it is our right to criticize them. Even common people have the right," Chandrababu said.

He regretted that 'highhandedness and rowdyism' have increased in the House under the Congress government.

"We will not tolerate rowdyism and goondaism in any manner," the TDP chief asserted.

The Chief Minister hit back saying the TDP did not even express regrets over the incidents in the House during the Governor's address to the joint session on February 17.