Din in Telangana House over defections, 14 Congress MLAs suspended

HYDERABAD: Fourteen MLAs of the principal Opposition Congress were suspended from the Telangana assembly for a day today after the Congress pushed the TRS government onto the defensive in the House over the defection of some party MLAs.

The issue of defections rocked the Assembly as Congress moved an adjournment motion on the issue for the second consecutive day today and pressed for a discussion "to enlighten people" about the "undemocratic and immoral acts" of the government.

Congress said the TRS government has lost the right to continue in office and castigated Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for brazenly encouraging defections in total violation of the Anti-Defection Law and the Constitution.

Since the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) came to power in the new state on June 2, over 20 members of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly belonging to Congress, Telugu Desam and YSR Congress have switched sides and joined the ruling party.

"We are taking a serious view of the manner in which the Chief Minister himself is encouraging defections (of Opposition legislators into the ruling party). It is the responsibility of the Chief Minister and ministers, who took oath on the Constitution, to uphold Schedule X (that prohibits defection). It is unbecoming of the Chief Minister to violate the Constitution. We strongly condemn it," Leader of Opposition K Jana Reddy said.

Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao claimed the matter was pending before the Speaker and, as per the Supreme Court judgement, could not be discussed in the House.

Jana Reddy refuted this and said the matter was not sub-judice. "We know the issue is pending with the Speaker. We want him to take a quick decision on this (disqualifying the members who defected to the ruling party)," he said.

"Heavens won't fall if one of our members switches sides. Let four others also go...we don't lose anything," the veteran leader remarked.

"Despite our assurance to co-operate with it in terms of development, the government is creating a vicious atmosphere," he alleged.

"This tradition is not good. If it continues like this, parties that come to power in future will try to suppress other parties. This is not good for anyone," Jana Reddy observed.