TDP boycotts Andhra Pradesh Assembly proceedings

Amaravati, July 24 (IANS) The main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Wednesday boycotted the Andhra Pradesh Assembly proceedings to protest the denial of opportunity to its leader N. Chandrababu Naidu to speak in the House.Holding placards and raising slogans, TDP legislators staged the protest in the Assembly premises.Earlier, they staged a walkout from the House to lodge their protest over the Leader of Opposition being denied the mike to speak during Question Hour.Naidu wanted to speak on farmers' problems and the investment support scheme.TDP members in the Assembly and the Legislative Council also staged a protest at the main entrance of the legislature complex in the morning, demanding protection of their rights as legislators. Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh, TDP general secretary, also participated in the protest.They also raised slogans protesting the suspension of three MLAs for the rest of the budget session. They were suspended on Tuesday by Deputy Speaker K. Raghupathi, who was in the chair, for disrupting the proceedings.The TDP alleged that its members were suspended for questioning the government.
--IANS ms/rt/bg