With the issue of separate Telangana refusing to die down, Congress decides to suspend eight of its agitating state MPs for four days from the Lok Sabha. The MPs who were suspended included Ponnam Prabhakar, Madhu Yaskhi Goud, M. Jagannath, K. Rajgopal Reddy, G. Viveknanda, Balram Naik, Sukender Reddy Gutha and S. Rajaiah
Leader of the Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee held parleys with leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj apparently in this regard soon after the House adjourned for the second time on Tuesday.
Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP), Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) were also present during the informal interaction in the House. Mukherjee was also seen having a word with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress proposal appeared to be to suspend the members for the remaining part of the Budget session, but it did not find favour with the CPI which suggested that there should be a token punishment for only four days. This was supported by SP, JD-U and AIADMK and later the BJP.
The parleys took place soon after senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh and Dasgupta expressed dismay over the failure of the ruling party to control its members on the Telangana issue.
It happened when Congress members from the Telangana repeatedly disrupted proceedings by rushing to the front rows, raising slogans and waving placards demanding a separate state.
They did not relent even after home minister P Chidambaram, parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Congress whip Ranee Narah persuaded them to go back to their seats. [PTI]