Chinnam says Speaker cannot disqualify him

Vijayawada: "The Assembly Speaker can not disqualify me from the Assembly as requested by the Telugu Desam Party on the charges of defying the party whip," asserted Telugu Desam rebel legislator from Nuzvid Chinnam Ramakotaiah. Speaking to The Hans India, here on Saturday, Ramakotaiah said that he would meet the Assembly Speaker, Nadendla Manohar, in Hyderabad on April 8 and plead his case. He said he had received a notice from the Speaker's office following a complaint by the Telugu Desam. He said he would give reply to the Speaker and asserted that he would retain his Assembly seat. Ramakotaiah said that the TD did not issue the whip to the legislators to ask for his disqualification. "Even the letter circulated to the MLAs will not stand before law available and I will make it clear before the Speaker," he asserted. He further said that he was not present in the Assembly on March 16, when the House took up no confidence motion for voting. He said that he had attended the Assembly on March 13 and 14 and had returned to the Assembly constituency on March 15, when the TRS submitted no confidence motion to the Assembly Speaker. "The motion came up for debate and voting on March 16 and I was not present in the House. I did not get the party whip on that day. There was no possibility of any party issuing whip without no confidence motion coming up for discussion and voting in the House," the rebel legislator said. When his attention was drawn to the rebel legislators of the Telugu Desam and the Congress giving an open letter to the Speaker seeking disqualification, the Nuzvid MLA said that he was not part of those legislators. He said he would not comment on the request of the other legislators. However, he said he was interested only in protecting his post and serve the people of his constituency. "I have come to politics with a motive to serve people, attracted to the speeches of Chiranjeevi. Though Chiranjeevi had gone back on his words, I am still connected to those slogans of social justice and service to the people. I would continue to serve people," Ramakotaiah added. He said he was not interested to continue with the Telugu Desam and there was no question of going back to the party. However, my decision will go along with the wishes of my supporters from the constituency," he quipped.