12 Seemandhra MPs suspended from Lok Sabha

As many as 12 MPs from Seemandhra Region were suspended for five consecutive sittings from the Lok Sabha for disrupting the proceedings of the House. 

The Seemandhra MPs - eight from Congress and four of TDP - stalled the proceedings of the House when it met at 11 AM on Friday. After two brief adjournments, Speaker Meira Kumar tried in vain to restore order. However, the MPs continued uproar in protest against the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana State. With the MPs not responding to the Speaker's appeal, she ordered their suspension for creating "grave disorder" under Rule 374 (A) of Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha. 

Earlier, the government withdrew suspension motion from the Lok Sabha which was moved against 11 MPs on Thursday amid opposition by the BJP and other parties. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said, "The government is not pressing for the motion." However, the Seemandhra MPs continued uproar leading to adjournment of the House for the second time. 

As the uproar continued, the Speaker named the MPs against whom the government moved a suspension motion. The Speaker then asked MPs to withdraw from the House proceedings. 

The suspension came a day after the government moved a motion to suspend 11 MPs for disrupting the proceedings. The motion was opposed by the opposition parties including the BJP. 

The MPs who are suspended are Konakalla Narayana, M Venugopala Reddy, Siva Prasad and Nimmala Kishtappa from TDP and Harsha Kumar, K Bapiraju, Anatha Venktrami Reddy, Lagadapati Rajagopal, Vundavalli Arun Kumar, Sabbam Hari, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy and Sai Pratap from Congress.