Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao claimed the matter was pending before the Speaker and, as per the Supreme Court judgement, could not be discussed in the House.
Jana Reddy refuted this and said the matter was not sub-judice. “We know the issue is pending with the Speaker.
We want him to take a quick decision on this (disqualifying the members who defected to the ruling party),” he said. “Heavens won't fall if one of our members switches sides. Let four others also go...we don't lose anything,” the veteran leader remarked.
“Despite our assurance to co-operate with it in terms of development, the government is creating a vicious atmosphere,” he alleged.
“This tradition is not good. If it continues like this, parties that come to power in future will try to suppress other parties. This is not good for anyone,” Jana Reddy observed.
“We promised to extend all support to the government to develop the state into a golden Telangana. But the manner in which it is encouraging defections is undemocratic and unconstitutional. This government has lost the right to continue in office,” the Leader of Opposition said. “It is for the people to decide whether the government should continue or not,” Finance Minister Etela Rajender countered.
At one point, the BJP also supported the Congress by raising its protest against the defections. As the Congress members pressed for a discussion on the issue, Speaker S Madhusudanachari adjourned the proceedings twice for ten minutes each.
When the House resumed, the Congress members remained on their feet and raised slogans “We want justice”, following which the Legislative Affairs Minister moved a motion for suspension of 14 of them from the House for a day.
Earlier in the day, the Congress MLAs met the Speaker in his chamber and requested him to take immediate action against the defectors.
“I assured the Congress members that I will act as per law and precedents in the matter,” the Speaker later announced in the House.
