R K Roja denied entry in Andhra Pradesh Assembly; YSR Congress MLAs don black in protest

HYDERABAD: For the second day in a row, YSR Congress MLA R K Roja was prevented from entering Andhra Pradesh Assembly today even as her party colleagues came to the House wearing black clothes in protest.

Inside the House, the YSRC members stormed the Speaker's podium raising slogans like "we want justice", causing a din.

The Question Hour continued for about half an hour amid the din but as the Opposition continued with their sloganeering, Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao adjourned the proceedings for ten minutes.

Roja had obtained an interim order from the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad against her suspension from the Assembly for a year but the Legislature Secretary challenged the single judge's order before a division bench.

The ruling Telugu Desam, which took this as a prestige issue, was determined not to let Roja into the House.

The Speaker had yesterday said it was for the House to take a decision on whether or not to allow Roja inside as it was the same House that voted for her year-long suspension during the winter session in December last.

He posted the matter for Monday.

As Roja walked into the Assembly premises along with fellow women MLAs of YSRC, the marshals stopped her from proceeding beyond the Gate2.

Roja picked up an argument with the marshals demanding that they show written orders denying her entry into the House.

The other YSRC members, however, went into the House in their black dresses and protested.

After the proceedings were adjourned for ten minutes, the YSRC members staged a sit-in protest near inner gate of the Assembly in solidarity with Roja.