“Jai Unified Andhra Pradesh” and “Jai Telangana” slogans reverberated in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly forcing its adjournment for half-an-hour this morning.

As the Telangana legislators belonging to the ruling Congress, main Opposition TDP and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) boycotted the ongoing Budget session of the Assembly, the TDP MLAs from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions rose to their feet as soon as the House began and raised slogans in support of a unified state.

In a counter move, the BJP and CPI, which have two and four MLAs, respectively, raised slogans in favour of Telangana. The two parties, in fact, gave notices for an adjournment motion for a discussion on the statement made by the Union Home Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, on the statehood issue.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Nadendla Manohar, however, disallowed the adjournment motions.

As the slogan shouting continued, the Legislative Affairs Minister, Mr D. Sridhar Babu, appealed to the members to let the House transact business. The statehood issue could be discussed during the debate on Budget and the Government would respond to it, he said.

Mr Manohar told the agitated members that “we don’t want to flare up emotions here” and appealed to the members to “maintain calm and dignity”.

BJP floor leader Mr G. Kishan Reddy pressed for a discussion on the Union Home Minister’s statement, but the Deputy Speaker rejected the plea since the adjournment motion was disallowed.

But the TDP members continued to raise pro-Andhra Pradesh slogans, while the BJP and the CPI MLAs countered it with “Jai Telangana” slogans.

With no order in sight, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the proceedings for half-an-hour.

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