In a twist to the decision to boycott the Assembly session, the YSR Congress MLAs on Wednesday asserted that they would attend the session if Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao initiated disqualification proceedings against the MLAs who crossed over to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The YSR Congress MLAs led by their Whip Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy submitted a memorandum to the Speaker urging him to disqualify its Rampachodavaram MLA Vantena Rajeswari, who switched loyalties to the TDP recently, along with the 21 MLAs who did so earlier. Later speaking to reporters, the YSRC MLAs said: “It is not a boycott. We are registering our protest against the ‘inaction of the Speaker.’ We are ready to attend the session if the Speaker initiates action against the MLAs.”
Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier announced the boycott decision demanding action against the defected MLAs.
Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy, referring to the latest gazette notification from the Assembly, said the party had a strength of 67 MLAs including the 22 defected ones. Assembly Secretary Vijayraj was asked to give a certified copy of the gazette. He, however, pleaded helplessness. It reflected the awful conditions prevailing in the Assembly, he felt.
‘Values under threat’
Kona Raghupathi and others said the values of parliamentary democracy were under severe threat as no action had been taken against the 22 MLAs. The wound got deeper with four of them being made Ministers, he said.
To a question, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy said Mr. Jagan allowed Silpa Chakrapani Reddy to join the YSR Congress only after he resigned as MLC. The YSRC upheld the values. In contrast, TDP national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who made a hue and cry when his party MLA Srinivas Yadav defected to the TRS and became Minister, was encouraging defections in AP. Why the double standards? he asked.
MLAs Meka Venkat Pratap Appa Rao, Rakshana Nidhi and Gopireddy Srinivas Reddy also spoke.