AP Assembly adjourned twice amidst noisy scenes

Hyderabad, Feb 26 (PTI) A host of issues including theripe separate statehood demand, forced adjournment ofproceedings of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly twice this morning.

While the Telangana demand continued to be dominant, theTelugu Desam, CPI and CPM members raised their voices overseveral issues like the firing incident in Srikakulam districtyesterday, suicides by farmers and the uncertainty prevailingin the state.

Continuing their crusade, the separatist TelanganaRashtra Samiti members stood in the Well of the House holdingplacards demanding creation of a separate state. TDP rebel MLAfrom Telangana, Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy who has been sailingwith the TRS for some time now, too joined them.

Thirteen Congress legislators from Telangana too were ontheir feet holding placards on the statehood issue and raising"Jai Telangana" slogans.

Government Chief Whip Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka went to hisparty colleagues and appealed to them to resume their seatsbut they did not heed.

Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu sought tore-assure the agitating members that the Telangana issue couldbe discussed in the House in detail. "The government will alsorespond to it," he said and urged the members to let the Housetransact normal business.

The unrelenting members forced the first adjournment for30 minutes but the House re-assembled only after 110 minutes.

At that point, TDP members rose to their feet at theirrespective positions and held aloft placards on the Srikakulamfiring incident, farmers'' suicides and the uncertainty in thestate.

The CPI and the CPM members demanded a discussion on theSrikakulam incident through an adjournment motion, which theDeputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar disallowed.

"It has become a war of placards in the House," Manoharremarked as the TRS members remained in the Well while theTelangana Congress MLAs too remained on their feet.

"People have sent us to the Assembly to discuss theirissues, not for adjournments," the Deputy Speaker said andappealed to the members to let the House take up listedbusiness.

With none relenting, the Deputy Speaker adjourned theproceedings for half an hour for the second time.