AP Special Status rocks Assembly

The demand for the special category status shook the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on the opening day of the three-day monsoon session on Thursday which witnessed repeated adjournments amid bedlam and finally adjourned for the day amid pandemonium. The Assembly began on a stormy note in the morning as the protesting YSR Congress members trooped into the well of the House demanding the Chair to suspend the day's business and take up the status issue.

As soon as the House assembled, the members of the primary Opposition YSR Congress carrying placards that the issue of the special category status be taken up came into the podium which forced the Speaker to adjourn the House for 10 minutes. Even after members reassembled, the MLAs, who attended the proceedings wearing black



shirts to protest against the denial of the status to Andhra Pradesh, did not allow the Chair to take up the question hour and the House was again adjourned for another 10 minutes amid chaos.

When the members gathered again after the lunch break, the protesting members came into the well raising slogans and amid the noisy scenes the Chair allowed Minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao to introduce the bills that are listed for the day. The protesting YSR Congress members continued raising slogans in the well and nothing was audible, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu introduced the ratification of the GST Bill which the Chair announced was passed unanimously. Since the agitating members refused to resume their seats, the Chair adjourned the House for the day.