Andhra Assembly adjourned after protests over bifurcation

Hyderabad: The day’s proceedings in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly ended in a stalemate on Saturday as legislators from Telangana joined their Seemaandhra colleagues in stalling the House over the state bifurcation issue. [caption id=“attachment_1322775” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly. AFP[/caption] For the second day in a row, the House had to be abruptly adjourned without transacting any concrete business as Telugu Desam and YSR Congress members from Seemandhra stormed the Speaker’s podium demanding withdrawal of the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill-2013. Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLAs too rushed in simultaneously raising slogans in support of the Bill and demanding initiating of the debate on it. Two adjournments, for an hour each, did not restore order in the House forcing Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who was in the chair, to adjourn it till Monday. Earlier in the day, Speaker Nadendla Manohar appealed to floor leaders of all parties to coordinate with their members and ensure orderly functioning of the House but to no avail. The Speaker rejected the two adjournment motions moved by TDP and YSRC on the bifurcation issue and sought to take up Question Hour. As noisy protests continued, Manohar adjourned the House first for an hour, less than five minutes after the day’s proceedings began at 9 am. When the House reassembled after more than 90 minutes, the TRS MLAs too rushed into the Well, holding placards and raising slogans in support of Telangana. Amidst the din, the Speaker announced that all questions listed for the day were deemed to have been answered. “At some point, we have to let the House function,” he appealed to the agitating members and repeatedly asked them to return to their seats. As both the Seemaandhra and the Telangana legislators did not heed, the Speaker adjourned the House for another hour the second time. With a repeat of the noisy scenes when the House resumed, the Deputy Speaker adjourned it for the day. PTI