Agencies
HYDERABAD, June13: In an unprecedented move, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Thursday wrote a stinging letter to the speaker Nadendla Manohar, accusing him of being partial towards the ruling Congress, while conducting the assembly. The principal opposition party even boycotted a meeting of floor leaders called the by the speaker. "The speaker's conduct in the house is unparliamentarily and discriminatory. His behaviour amounts to usurping the rights of the elected members as he is selective in allotting time and mike to the members of the house during debates," said Muddu Krishnama Naidu, floor leader of TDP, who led the party legislators to meet the speaker and give the letter to him. Dubbing the speaker autocratic, the letter said it was to register strong protest against his attitude. However, Muddu Krishnama Naidu said it was unlikely that his party move no-confidence motion against the chair. On contacting, Manohar declined to respond, but said he was hurt by the development. "I don't want to react. But, I hope they would realize they have taken a wrong step by going for levelling unreasonable charges while I am just discharging my duties in my position," he said. The letter, enlisting thirteen issues, said the speaker was overstepping legislative leader of the TDP by suggesting the names of the party MLAs to speak, which was a prerogative of the leader of the party in the house.
The letter charged that the speaker proposed to nominate members in a house committee on the irregularities in land allocation, without consulting the TDP. The letter said the speaker took time to disqualify the TDP MLAs, who violated party whip during the no-confidence motion moved by TRS and YSR Congress in the last session, despite the party's recommendation. Through the letter, the TDP members expressed their displeasure over repeated adjournments of the house, while debates on people issues were not being allowed.
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