Sixty two opposition party members suspended

Hyderabad, Mar 6 (UNI) Sixty-two members of major opposition parties, including Telugu Desam Party(TDP), CPI, CPI(M), All India Majlis-E-Itihadul Islameen were today suspended from the Andhra Pradesh Assembly for two days for stalling the proceedings and demanding placement of files in the award of contract for the Sripadasagar Project.

After abrupt adjournment for over two hours soon after the House assembled for the day, the Opposition members staged a noisy protest crowding near the Speaker's podium when the it reconvened to take up discussion on the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) under Rule 304.

Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah moved the resolution for suspension and named the 62 members for continuing to stall the proceedings, despite Speaker K R Suresh Reddy's appeal to allow conduct of the listed business of the House. Mr Reddy also asked for a few days time for the Government to come out with its reply on charges of corruption levelled by the Opposition.

Announcing the suspension, the Speaker asked the named members, including 30 of the 46 TDP, 14 of the 26 TRS, seven of the nine CPI(M), all the six CPI and five AIMIM members, to leave the House.

As they continued to shout slogans against the ''corrupt'' Congress government and waved placards, the Marshalls, who were called in, evicted them.

The opposition parties have charged the state government with misappropriation of funds to the tune of more than 400 crore in the Sripadasagar project.

UNI SM AK KN1544