The no-confidence motion tabled against Assembly speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao in Andhra Pradesh fizzled out with only 57 members rose to support it while 97 members opposing the motion. Stung by what it said partisan attitude of speaker in the House, opposition YSRC moved the motion. In an unprecedented way, the opposition party served no confidence motion against speaker in less than 24 hour after the no-confidence motion it moved against the government of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu defeated late last night.
Apparently, the compelling reason for moving the today’s motion was to invoke the whip against the eight defector MLAs, who crossed over to TDP from the YSRC. Yesterday, as there was no voting, YSRCP could not invoke the whip against the defectors. Alleging that TDP and the speaker had rescued the defectors from being disqualified under the provisions of anti-defection law, the YSRC moved the no-confidence motion against speaker Kodela.
On Tuesday, as the division was sought on the motion, even though the motion was defeated, the opposition party found an occasion to invoke the provisions of anti-defection law stating that the eight defector MLAs had violated the whip and abstained from the House. The eight MLAs did not show up in the House at the time of division in the House. From the opposition side only two members were absent, one was Anil Kumar, the other was Roja. who is under suspension for one year from the House.
During the debate the opposition members alleged that the speaker had behaved like the extension of Telugu Desam party. While participating in the debate, YSRC members Kotamreddy Srinivas Reddy, Gopireddy Srinivas Reddy, Rachamallu Sivaprasada Reddy and Opposition leader Jaganmohan Reddy accused the speaker of extreme bias against the opposition party. The opposition party attacked speaker’s impropriety in and outside the house equally. While Kotamreddy and Rachamallu said how Kodela as speaker failed to protect in interests of opposition and behaved like the member from treasury benches, Gopireddy sought to highlight the speaker’s abuse of office in the constituency, which Kodela represented in the past.
The YSRC alleged that the speaker implemented the instructions from ruling party. Gopireddy,who represents Narasaraopet constituency, which was earlier represented by Kodela, said the speaker interfering in the affairs of his constituency ignoring the local MLA. Bringing disrepute to the office of speaker, Kodela had been participating in the TDP programs and involving in the petty quarrels. Opposition leader Jagan said during the debate on no-confidence motion yesterday, the speaker allowed his speech interrupted 48 times by legislative affairs minister Yanamala and other members.
In response, the treasury benches stoutly defended the speaker and his ability in running the house as well as his commitment to the service of the people. Health minister Kamineni Srinivas, legislative affairs minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, MLAs Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, Shravan Kumar, BJP floor leader Vishukumar Raju took strong objection to the no-confidence motion. They felt the opposition YSR Congress was using the occasion to tarnish the image of speaker Kodela by raising the issues that were not connected to the responsibilities as speaker.
The session was presided over by deputy speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad. Later, YSRC sought the division in the house on the motion. Finally it turned out that the motion had got the support from only 57 members while 97 opposed it. The deputy speaker announced that the motion was defeated. Later, he invited speaker Kodela to occupy the chair and conduct the proceedings of the House.
