Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Thammineni Sitaram. file | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Assembly Speaker Thammineni Sitaram suspended all Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLAs for Thursday (March 16) soon after Finance Minister Bugna Rajendranath Reddy presented the budget for the financial year 2023-24.
Of. Atchannaidu, Gorantla Buchiah Chowdhary and others shouted that the budget was a futile exercise as the state was in debt and the government could not even pay salaries to its employees on time, despite Shri Rajendranath Reddy’s opening remarks that The state has been passing through a tough time for four years due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who entered the House a few minutes ago, said it was unfortunate that TDP legislators came up with plans to create disturbances, unable to swing the government’s performance in their favour.
He insisted that the opposition legislators should be removed to facilitate the presentation of the budget, which was eagerly awaited by the people. As TDP MLAs stormed into the Well and threw papers towards the Speaker’s podium, Mr. Sitaram said they were at liberty to walk out if they were in no mood to hear the Finance Minister or be sent out.
He said TDP legislators can make comments during the scheduled discussion on the budget or in front of the media. The Speaker suspended the TDP MLAs after a motion to this effect was duly moved by Shri Rajendranath Reddy, who is also the Minister for Legislative Affairs. The opposition legislators themselves staged a walkout when marshals came to remove them.
Resuming his speech, Shri Rajendranath Reddy said that it was unprecedented that the opposition tried to stall the budget presentation and they deserved to be sent out.