Cong, TDP MLAs come to near blows in AP assembly

Ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam MLAs came to near blows inside the Andhra Pradesh assembly on Monday after Agriculture Minister Y S Vivekananda heckled two TDP MLAs as they held a placard that denigrated supporters of late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Vivekananda, brother of the late chief minister, rushed towards Telugu Desam Legislature Party deputy leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu and tore away the placard that read "YSR dongala mutha" (YSR's gang of thieves) and also heckled another MLA Ch Prabhakar who was sitting there.

Sensing trouble, officiating Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the house immediately.

As soon as the house began on Monday morning, Majlis Ittehadul-e-Muslimeed legislators trooped into the well and raised the demand for constitution of a Joint Legislature Committee to probe "illegal allotment" of Wakf land for industries and other purposes. At the same time, the TDP members too rose to their feet at their respective places, holding placards demanding a JLC to probe all land allotments.

The TDP members also held placards with the slogan "YSR dongala mutha". Congress MLAs loyal to rebel leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy too stood up to counter the TDP.

About half-a-dozen Congress MLAs from Telangana also were on their feet raising slogans in support of a separate state. All of a sudden, the agriculture minister rushed towards the opposition benches in a fit of rage and tore away the placard held by the TDLP deputy leader.

As he virtually tried to hit their fellow MLA, other TDP members rushed in and pushed Vivekananda away. Immediately, the officiating speaker adjourned the house.

Meanwhile, the TDP has demanded that the state agriculture minister be dismissed from the council of ministers forthwith for his unruly behaviour in the Andhra Pradesh assembly.

A delegation of TDP MLAs met the deputy speaker after the House was adjourned over the incident and demanded that the video footage related to the agriculture minister's actions be released to the media.

The TDP MLAs also asked the deputy speaker to report the issue to the legislative council chairman as Vivekananda was a member of the upper house of the state legislature.

The deputy speaker reportedly assured the TDP legislators that he would discuss the issue with floor leaders of all parties and take appropriate action.