Two Congress MLAs were today expelled from the Telangana Legislative Assembly and 11 more, including the opposition leader, suspended for the ongoing budget session, a day after the "unruly" incidents during the governor's address to the joint sitting of the legislature.
The expelled members are Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and S A Sampath Kumar.
Eleven other Congress MLAs have been suspended till the conclusion of the Budget session, which commenced yesterday.
Meanwhile, six Congress members were suspended from the Telangana Legislative Council.
As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker S Madhusudanachary expressed deep anguish over yesterday's incidents, in which Legislative Council Chairman K Swamy Goud suffered an eye injury when an object was thrown at him after the conclusion of the governor's address.
Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao moved separate resolutions for disciplinary action against the members of the main opposition party.
According to one of the resolutions, the "unruly" behaviour of Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and Sampath Kumar amounted to affecting the dignity and decorum of the House.
".....their continuance as member of the Assembly is untenable," it read.
According to another resolution, 11 Congress members, including Leader of Opposition K Jana Reddy, were suspended till the end of the session.
The other suspended members are -- Jeevan Reddy, Geeta Reddy, N Uttam Kumar Reddy (state Congress chief), D K Aruna, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Chinna Reddy, N Padmavati, Rammohan Reddy, Vamsichand Reddy and Madhava Reddy.
The speaker urged the expelled and suspended members to leave the House. Some of them left only after being approached by the marshals.
Condemning the behaviour of the Congress members, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the government would not compromise on maintaining the dignity and decorum of the House.
Why should there be any disturbance when the government had said it was ready for a debate on any issue, he asked.
Rao alleged that the Congress members wanted to get suspended from the House as they felt that they might not derive any advantage by attending it.
MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said it was a "black day" for the House, adding that its dignity and decorum should be maintained.
BJP leader G Kishan Reddy said yesterday's incidents were unfortunate, but opposed Jana Reddy's suspension from the House.
Talking to reporters, Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the disciplinary action was taken without following the due procedure, adding that an all-party meeting should have been convened or clippings of yesterday's incidents should have been shown to the members.
The Congress would approach the president on the issue, he said.
Goud had yesterday told reporters that a headphone, which was thrown at the podium, hit him in the eye. He was treated at a hospital with a bandage being put over one of his eyes.
The legislative affairs minister said the speaker was urged to hand out a tough punishment to the MLAs by going through the video footage and other details of the incident.
The ruling TRS has alleged that the Congress members indulged in "physical attacks" by throwing objects.
The session is scheduled to conclude onMarch 27.
The Congress' strength is 19 in the 119-member House.
Assembly polls are due in Telangana next year.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
