The YSR Congress rebel MLAs moved the AP high court on disqualification notices issued by the Assembly speaker. The court received the lunch motion and issued notices to the speaker’s office and the YSR Congress. The court also posted the case for next hearing on March 26.
Earlier in the day, the MLAs met Speaker Thammineni Sitharam, and gave letters to him opposing their disqualification. MLAs Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and Undavalli Sridevi met the speaker and submitted letters to him.
Sridhar Reddy told the media persons that the speaker’s office did not give them any acknowledgement receipt for their letters. He said that they sought time from the speaker to reply to the notices issued to them.
Undavalli Sridevi told the media that she was down with fever and was hit by covid. The speaker did not give her exemption from appearing in person despite getting treatment under covid.
Ramanarayana Reddy said that they wanted to know if the speaker’s office has any evidence to prove that they voted against the whip of the party. “We were accused of voting for the TDP in the MLC elections. We thought that the speaker’s office would give us some evidence to prove the charge,” Ramanarayana Reddy said.
Chandrasekhar Reddy said that he was not well and was undergoing treatment. The speaker did not exempt him from appearing in person. He criticised the YSR Congress for charging them with voting for the TDP. “There is no evidence to prove the charge,” he said and dared the party leaders to prove it.
The MLAs said that they wanted time from the speaker reflecting natural justice. The speaker is not giving time, they complained. They also accused the speaker of acting swiftly on the petition while he remained silent for two years on the resignation of TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao.
