After MLAs, Jagan MLCs too to face action

HYDERABAD: Assembly speaker Nadendla Manohar may take some more time to announce his decision on the disqualification petitions against one PRP and 16 Congress legislators, which are pending with him.The speaker is likely to start hearing on the disqualification petitions in the first week of January. Sixteen Congress MLAs and one PRP MLA voted against the Kiran Kumar Reddy government during a no- confidence motion in the Assembly on December 5, defying the whip of Congress and PRP. The speaker already served notices on all the 17 MLAs. Fifteen Congress MLAs gave their explanation to the notices served by the speaker, while PRP MLA Shobha Nagireddy submitted her resignation to the speaker’s office.A Congress MLA owing allegiance to YSR Congress chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, informed the speaker’s office that he did not receive the whip from the CLP. The speaker on Friday examined three explanations and Shobha’s resignation letter. He will examine the explanations of the other MLAs after Jan 2. Senior Congress leader and former minister JC Diwakar Reddy who met the speaker in the Assembly, felt that Manohar should take a decision after hearing the arguments of all the 17 MLAs.However, the Congress is getting ready to face the byelections to 24 constituencies, including six in Telangana region. Meanwhile, the CLP has decided to file a disqualification petition against Jagan loyalist MLCs Konda Murali, P Padmavati and SV Mohan Reddy.Congress floor leader in the legislative council YS Sivaram Reddy enclosed several CDs to substantiate the party’ charge against the three MLCs.The CLP is also examining the procedure to take action against Jupudi Prabhakar, who was nominated to the council under the governor's quota.Jupudi, a staunch supporter of Jagan, is playing active role in YSR Congress Party.According to a Congress leader, the CLP does not have any power to initiate action against an MLC, who is nominated to the council under the governor’s quota. However, the state cabinet is ‘empowered’ to lodge a complaint with the council chairman against Jupudi.