Andhra Pradesh government today faced an embarrassing situation in the state Assembly as ministers stayed away from the proceedings, forcing Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka to direct Chief Whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy to call the ministers in.
Even Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was confined to his chamber in the Assembly when the Deputy Speaker raised the issue during a debate on motion of thanks to the Governor's address.
Only three ministers were present in the House at the time and all the front benches on the treasury side looked empty.
The Deputy Speaker interrupted Congress member K Kanna Babu's address and asked the Chief Whip to go and call the ministers inside.
As Gandra rushed out, one more minister entered the House and a few minutes later the Chief Minister and another minister walked in.
While some of the ministers were said to be attending proceedings in the Legislative Council, most others were conspicuous by their absence even in the Assembly lobbies.
Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar ordered the government to conduct an enquiry into the "procedural lapses" in the presentation of agricultural "action plan" along with the Annual Financial Statement on March 18.
The government was caught on the wrong foot as it bungled up the whole issue by initially announcing that it was presenting an "exclusive budget" for agriculture and allied sectors and later changing it into an "action plan" without even obtaining consent of the House.
Lok Satta MLA N Jayaprakash Narayan and Telugu Desam Legislature Party moved separate motions related to breach of privilege over the fiasco.
