CM loses temper in House, later withdraws remarks on Naidu

Hyderabad, Feb 13 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today lost his cool in the State Assembly and made some 'objectionable' remarks against Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu, but withdrew it later following protests.

The Chief Minister lost his temper when Mr Naidu referred to a report in a particular Telugu daily and demanded a judicial probe as serious allegations were raised against the Chief Minister's brother.

Mr Reddy said the daily was all out to malign him and it was unbecoming on the part of Mr Naidu, who had been the Chief Minister for nine long years, to raise the issue in the Assembly and made some remarks against the daily as also Mr Naidu.

When agitated TDP members stalled the proceedings in the Assembly and floor leaders of the major parties, including CPI(M), found fault with the remarks, Speaker K R Suresh Reddy expunged the remarks.

The Speaker restored order in the House, ruling that any unparliamentary references either by the ruling or opposition party members during the course of discussion would not go on record.

The TDP members, however, demanded the Chief Minister to withdraw his remarks.

Explaining the circumstances under which he was forced to make such a remark, Dr Reddy said he only meant that he was leaving to the wisdom of Mr Naidu whether it was proper for him to make such a 'baseless' allegation based on a report in a 'partisan' newspaper.

Later, TDP Deputy Leader T Devender Goud led the party members out in protest against the Government's refusal to order a judicial probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment of teachers in the Chief Minister's native Kadapa district.

Members of the CPI(M) as also the TRS also staged a walkout in the House in protest against the Government's efforts to shield 'bigwigs' behind the irregularities and make low level officials 'scapegoats'.

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