HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said the ruling party was observing restraint and avoiding suspension of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti members who stalled the proceedings of the Assembly for the third consecutive day on Friday.

Dr. Reddy explained that the issue at stake was `basically sensitive' and the Opposition parties too had counselled restraint and asked the Government not to act in a hurry.

"The Government is ready for a debate on Telangana," Dr. Reddy said, but ruled out the issue coming up for discussion on Monday. "We cannot accept their demand to adjourn the House and discuss the issue. It will be taken up along with other issues listed in the agenda," he remarked. He made it clear that the House would not be extended beyond August 31 as he had to leave for New Delhi on a scheduled two-day visit on September 1.

The Telugu Desam Party, on the other hand, reacted sharply to the Chief Minister's assertion that the monsoon session would not be extended. Party MLAs, T. Devender Goud, Y. Ramakrishnudu and Nagam Janardhan Reddy wanted the session to be extended by a week since three days had been wasted by adjournments.

`Political drama'

They accused the Congress and the TRS of enacting a `political drama' to prevent debate on important issues. Mr. Goud objected to the Chief Minister's claim that the Opposition had advised the Government to observe restraint on Telangana. "Since when has the Chief Minister started taking the Opposition into confidence?"

Meanwhile, CPI (M) leaders said their party was ready for a debate on Telangana and asked the Congress to spell out its stand on the issue. "Congress wants to use our shoulder to shoot at TRS by saying that though it was ready for granting the State, the CPI (M) was opposing". They dared Congress to bring a bill in Parliament with the help of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

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