TDP MLAs tussle with marshals over no entry into House

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed on the premises of the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Thursday when the security personnel stopped legislators of Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from entering the premises.

Ten lawmakers, who were already suspended from the House for the entire budget session, faced embarrassing situation when the security staff did not allow them to enter the premises. The police stopped the vehicles of A Revanth Reddy, deputy floor leader in the Assembly and other MLAs.

As the civil police and marshals stopped the TTDP MLAs, they had a heated argument with the security officers, questioning imposition of curbs on their movement in the Assembly. However, the police intervened and evicted the lawmakers. It may be recalled that the police had tried to stop them from talking to media at the media point on Wednesday. They later called on Governor E S L Narasimhan to lodge a complaint.

Later talking to media at the NTR Trust Bhavan, Revanth Reddy said the government was scared of the TDP and was hence preventing them from entering into the Assembly. He said they wanted to meet the Assembly secretary and give notice of no confidence against the Speaker but they were not allowed to enter the premises. They had however sent the notice to the Speaker’s office, he said.

TDP MLA A Narsa Reddy alleged that the TRS government was behaving in a dictatorial manner. It was unfortunate that the TDP MLAs, who were elected democratically, were not being allowed by the police into the Assembly premises, he said.

Criticising the behavior of TRS government, the TDP legislators alleged that it was taking police help to gag the voice of the Opposition party. “We have never seen such an incident even during erstwhile Nizam’s regime,” they said. “Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his lieutenants should open their eyes at least after their defeat in the MLC election,” they added.