TDP stages walk-out

Amaravati: The winter session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly commenced on Thursday amid mild protests from the main Opposition, the TDP demanding that their adjournment motions be taken up as "those were all pressing matters of public importance". The TDP members walked out when Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, disallowed the same.

The effect of the results of Urban Local Bodies was the main topic of discussion in the lobbies of the House with the YSRCP members taking a dig at the TDP members for the loss their party suffered, particularly in Kuppam. Though it was planned as a one-day session, the Business Advisory Committee decided to prolong it till November 26 at the request of the TDP.

The session began on a sombre note with the House taking up condolences of the departed former members, M Abdul Aziz (Kovvuru), A Ramireddy (Dhuggirala), P Krishna Murthy (Mummidivaram), P Ranganayakulu (Hindupur), Vanka Srinivasa Rao (Polavaram), T Venkaiah (Tadikonda), D Peraiah (Undi), Pinnelli Lakshma Reddy (Macherla), MV Ramana Reddy (Proddatur) and Dr S Pitchi Reddy (Darsi).

TDP members, who served an adjournment motion to discuss petrol and diesel prices hike, insisted on taking up the same while the Speaker disallowed it.

The newly-elected Badvel YSRCP MLA Dasari Sudha was sworn in and later several bills were introduced in the Assembly and a short discussion on women empowerment was taken up. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy intervened during the discussion to "regret" the absence of Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu in the House. He said the proceedings were kept on the hold for Naidu to come, yet he did not turn up. He made use of Kuppam results to point out that the women of Kuppam taught a fitting lesson to Naidu because of the welfare schemes rolled out in a transparent manner. MLA Roja saluted the Kuppam women for defeating the TDP candidates "in response to the pro-people schemes of the Government". The Chief Minister stood by the women and was working to empower them in all areas and the delivery system evolved was precise, she said. Interestingly, Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Atchennaidu were not seen in the Assembly Hall while the short discussion was being held in the Assembly. There were no TDP MLAs while the Chief Minister was speaking on women empowerment.

Earlier, Naidu, along with his team of MLAs, walked down to the Assembly to highlight the petrol and diesel price hike after garlanding the statue of NTR at Venkatapalem. The TDP MLAs and MLCs, who accompanied him, carried placards and shouted slogans against price rise and anti-farmer policies.