By IANS
Hyderabad : The spate of suspensions of opposition members in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly continued Thursday when all the legislators of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) present in the house were once again suspended for one day by Deputy Speaker Kutulahamma.
This is the fifth time that TDP legislators have been suspended from the house during the current budget session.
The move came after heated arguments between Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu over the mining lease issue.
Naidu alleged that the Congress government was favouring certain people close to the chief minister in granting lease for mining.
Denying any irregularities in Obulapuram mining issue, Reddy recalled that it was Naidu who had given the iron ore mines in Anantapur district on lease to Obulapuram Mining Corporation, owned by industrialist and Karnataka legislator G. Janardhan Reddy.
As Naidu wanted to intervene, the chief minister refused to yield, leading to a heated argument. The TDP members rushed to the speaker’s podium, leading to an uproar.
Amid the din, Minister for Legislative Affairs K. Rosaiah moved a resolution for their suspension, which was passed with a voice vote.
Earlier, the bauxite mining issue also rocked the house with Naidu accusing the government of snatching lands of tribals in Visakhapatnam district to give mining lease to a Dubai-based company. He alleged that the government’s action was also harming the environment.
TDP legislator T. Devender Goud alleged the company was being favoured as some ruling party leaders had their interests in the company. Minister for Mines and Geology Sabita Indra Reddy denied the allegations.
Ras-Al-Khaimah, an emirate in United Arab Emirates, had signed a memorandum of understanding with the state last year for supply of bauxite ore for its alumina refinery proposed in the district at a cost of Rs.90 billion.
Later, Naidu told newsmen that the speaker was not impartial and was being influenced by the chief minister.
“The government does not want any issue to be discussed in the house. The speaker is either adjourning the house or suspending us,” Naidu said. The TDP has 45 members in 294-member house.