AP Assembly witness bedlam over sale of Govt properties

Hyderabad, March 10, 2010 (PTI) - Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday witnessed noisy scenes as allegations and counter-allegations flew thick between the treasury and the opposition benches over the sale of government properties, resulting in two adjournments of the House.

The Congress government tried to launch a counter-attack on the main opposition Telugu Desam Party by referring to sale of government properties by the then government after Leader of Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the government was encouraging “mining mafia”.

The Question Hour in the Assembly was marred by catcalls and screams by the Congress and the TDP members on the issue of leasing iron ore mines to Obulapuram Mining Company, owned by Karnataka Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy.

The government informed the TDP members that OMC, a sister concern of Brahmani Steels being set up in Kadapa district, was granted mining leases. No captive mining was allotted to Brahmani Steels, Major Industries Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana maintained.

TDP deputy leader Nagam Janardhana Reddy, however, challenged that he would prove the minister’s claim wrong. “I will prove that it is captive mining, otherwise I will resign from my post. Will you do the same if I am proved right?” Mr. Nagam asked Mr. Kanna.

The Minister, however, started reading out a list of companies and lands sold during the TDP regime before 2004.

This sparked off strong protests from the TDP members who tried to hit back at the government. This led to heated exchange of words between Congress and TDP MLAs. The Speaker, however, removed the exchanges from the records.

In the bedlam, Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar, who was in the chair, wound up the Question Hour and adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes. After the break, the House took up a short-duration discussion on the grave power crisis in the State.