Speaker disqualifies 8 MLAs from Assembly

Vijayawada: Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram has disqualified eight sitting MLAs, four each from the ruling YSRCP and the opposition TDP, from their posts based on complaints from the respective parties, ahead of the elections. The disqualified members are Maddali Giridhara Rao, Karanam Balaram, Vallabhaneni Vamsi and Vasupalli Ganesh from TDP and Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, K Sridhar Reddy and Undavalli Sridevi, a circular from the Speaker's office said on Tuesday.

“The following members of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly were disqualified on February 26 by the Hon'ble Speaker, Andhra Pradesh, Legislative Assembly under X Schedule of the Constitution of India and as per the Members of Andhra Pradesh Assembly (Disqualification on grounds of defection rules), 1986,” it said.

According to political analysts, the disqualification of the MLAs is unlikely to necessitate byelections as the Assembly polls are expected to be held in a few weeks. The Speaker had earlier issued notices to all the eight members to hear their version before disqualifying them. Sridhar Reddy's name figured in the list of TDP contesting candidates released by the party chief N Chandrababu Naidu recently.