Legislators belonging to the Opposition parties on Friday urged Speaker S. Madhusudhana Chary to lift the suspension of 11 members of the Telugu Desam Party including the Telugu Desam’s Floor Leader Errabelli Dayakar and Deputy Leader A. Revanth Reddy.
Congress, BJP, CPI and CPI (M) legislators made the request to the Speaker, who said he would re-examine the issue and take a decision after consulting all concerned.
Among those who spoke are Floor Leaders K. Laxman (Bharatiya Janata Party), K. Jana Reddy (Congress), Sunnam Rajaiah (Communist Party of India-Marxist) and Ravindra Kumar Naik (CPI).
They said the suspended TDP members were ready to tender an apology about the developments on the day of the Governor's address and the alleged insult to the national anthem. “It is in the best interests of democracy that the Opposition be present in the House when the Budget session is on,” he pointed out.
Finance Minister Eatala Rajender said, “We consider the Assembly as a holy place and agree that the presence of the Opposition in the House is a healthy sign in democracy.” Later, Congress members gave vent to their frustration when the Speaker rejected their demand for an adjournment motion and discussion on the issue of increasing unemployment and the delay in filling up vacancies.
Finance Minister said it was the Government that could give people jobs and not the Opposition. Mr. Reddy countered, saying the ruling party should not forget that it was the people that voted them to power.
