Congress in Andhra Pradesh seeks disqualification of nine of its MLAs

HYDERABAD: The ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh today petitioned the Legislative Assembly Speaker seeking disqualification of nine of its MLAs who defied the party whip and voted against the Government on the no- confidence motion on March 15.

Government Chief Whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy submitted separate petitions to Speaker Nadendla Manohar seeking their disqualification, as per Schedule 10 of the Constitution, from the membership of the Assembly.

The nine MLAs are Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao, Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy, M Rajesh, Alla Srinivas, Perni Venkata Ramaiah, Jogi Ramesh, Gottipati Ravi Kumar, B Siva Prasad Reddy and Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy.

Of them, Ranga Rao, Rajesh and Alla Srinivas had submitted their resignations to the Speaker a few months ago after they walked out of the Congress and joined the YSR Congress. A decision had been pending on their resignations.

The other MLAs too have been sailing with the Jaganmohan Reddy-led party for some time now. Peddireddi is yet to formally come out of the ruling party though he is tipped to join the YSR Congress.

These nine MLAs voted against the Kiran Kumar Reddy Government, along with 17 YSR Congress legislators, on the TRS-sponsored no-confidence motion.

Though six MLAs of the TDP too voted in favour of the no-confidence defying the party decision to stay "neutral", the main Opposition is yet to submit disqualification petitions against them to the Speaker.

TDP whip Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar, however, said they too would seek disqualification of the rebel MLAs.