TDP MLCs stage walkout twice in AP Legislative Council

Hyderabad, Feb 26 (UNI) Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLCs today staged walkout from Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council over the Backward Class (BC) welfare issue and for not providing 'sufficient' time to speak in general budget discussion.

As soon as the House proceedings began, the TDP MLCs demanded that the government withdraw the proposals regarding removal of some communities from the BC category after BC Welfare Minister Mukesh Goud replied to a question by TDP MLC P Raghunatha Reddy.

Mr Goud informed the House that there was no proposal to exclude some communities from the BC list, who were already enjoying the status. Kapu Community had represented for inclusion in the list of BC and the issue was under examination by the state BC Commission, he added.

Not satisfied with the answer, the TDP MLCs staged walkout from the House.

Later, during the general discussion, the TDP MLCs walked out of the House again, alleging that House Chairman A Chakrapani was not granting ample time to them to speak in the discussion.

When TDP Floor leader D Veerabhadra Rao, while speaking in the discussion, said the 2008-09 budget was the last budget presentation for the Congress government, the Chairman objected to it and asked him to stop making such statements in the House.

Retaliating to the Chairman's objection, Mr Rao alleged that Mr Chakrapani was not allowing them to express their views in the House and obstructing them.

Irated with the Chairman's objection, the TDP MLCs staged walkout from the House.

State Finance and Legislative Affairs Minister K Rosaiah alleged that Mr Rao was not prepared to speak in the House even after getting sufficient time. There was no need to stage walkout from the House, he added.

UNI AP VA KVV AKJ RN1646