Hyderabad, March 5 (IANS) Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday sought disqualification of eight of its legislators who defected to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
A delegation of YSRCP leaders, led by the party's deputy floor leader in the state assembly Jyothula Nehru, met Speaker K. Sivaprasad Rao and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
They urged the speaker to disqualify the legislators who were elected on YSRCP ticket but switched loyalties to the TDP.
Nehru said the speaker should take the action to save democracy. He hoped that Rao will take an impartial decision.
The only opposition party in the state submitted the memorandum a couple of hours before the budget session of the legislature began.
YSRCP legislators led by party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy marched to the assembly building with black scarves to protest what they call 'murder of democracy' by the TDP.
The leader of opposition said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu with ill-gotten money was luring YSRCP legislators. "Every MLA is being offered Rs.20 crore to Rs.30 crore," he alleged.
Later, the opposition legislators also raised slogans during Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan's speech to both the houses of state legislature.
Jaganmohan Reddy said the march to the state assembly was also to protest land scam in building new state capital Amaravati.
Jagan said ministers and those close to Naidu purchased huge tracts of land as he revealed the crucial and confidential information to them with regard to the location of new capital city.
YSRCP leader said Naidu betrayed farmers and people from scheduled castes by forcibly taking their lands.
