Thaindian News

Hyderabad, June 4 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh assembly was Saturday adjourned without taking up no-confidence motion moved by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) against the state’s Congress government. The main opposition party has urged the governor to convene a special session for the purpose.

Newly-elected Speaker N. Manohar adjourned the house sine die after it elected the speaker and the deputy speaker. He did not respond to the no-confidence motion submitted by the TDP earlier in the day.

An angry TDP accused the government of running away from the trial of strength, and said it was reduced to minority in the house.

TDP legislators led by party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu met state Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and urged him to convene a special session of the assembly to enable it take up the no-confidence motion.

Naidu argued that as per the assembly rules, the no-confidence motion has to be taken up within 10 days after the notice for it is submitted. He said the government has lost the confidence of the people and it cannot run away from the assembly.

The leader of opposition once again challenged YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy to parade before the governor the legislators supporting him to demonstrate his strength.

The governor had convened the one-day session of the legislature for the election of the speaker and deputy speaker of the assembly and the chairman and vice-chairman of the council.

The assembly was adjourned sine die after it elected Manohar as the speaker and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka as his deputy.

The ruling Congress party said there was no need for taking up no-trust motion as the election of the speaker and deputy speaker has proved its strength in the house.

Earlier, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy told reporters that the government was ready to face any no-trust motion. He said it was for the speaker to take a decision on the motion.

He said the ruling party proved its strength in the election of the speaker and deputy. “This was despite the absence of some of our legislators. The numbers will be much bigger when the house takes up no-confidence motion,” he said.

In the 294-member house, Manohar was elected speaker with 158 votes while K.E. Krishnamurthy of the TDP secured only 90 votes.

On rebel legislators attending the meeting with YSR Congress party chief Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the chief minister said the party would take appropriate action against them at an appropriate time.