TDP, Congress boycott Talasani speech

Hyderabad: The Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) decided to boycott the proceedings whenever Commercial Taxes Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav spoke in the Telangana State Legislative Council.

TDP MLC A Narsa Reddy strongly objected when Talasani stood up to reply to a question related to his department during Question Hour on Tuesday. He said Talasani had become a Minister in the State Cabinet without giving resignation as the TDP MLA. He was immediately joined by Congress MLCs.

Legislative Affairs Minister tried to intervene and said that the issue of Talasani’s membership was not related to the Council. Council Chairman Swamy Goud tried to pacify the agitating members and said that the decision on Talasani was pending with Assembly Speaker S Madhusudana Chary.

However, the Congress members intensified their protest. Speaking on the issue, CLP deputy leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir said Talasani’s continuance as a Minister in the TRS government was illegal as he did not resign from his post as TDP MLA. Therefore, the Congress would boycott the proceedings whenever Talasani spoke in the House, he said and walked out of the House along with other Congress MLCs. The TDP MLCs too walked out of the House.

Responding to the reaction by the Opposition parties, Harish Rao said the Congress and the TDP leaders should do introspection before accusing TRS of encouraging defections. He alleged that as a Minister in the Cabinet of the then Chief Minister Dr YS Rajashekara Reddy, Shabbir Ali was instrumental in encouraging defection of 16 TRS MLAs to Congress party. He said there were several examples of TDP, while in power, luring leaders of opposition parties.