Hyderabad: Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy expressed anguish over the turn of the debate on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in the Assembly on Wednesday.

Describing it as "unfortunate", he told reporters that there was nothing wrong in a member apologising for using unparliamentary language in the House. Mr. T. Devender Goud, TDP MLA, may have been angered at the reference to his lands but it did not entitle him to use such language, he added.

However, the Leader of Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu, charged the ruling party with diluting and diverting the issue. He said his party would raise the issue in the House again on Thursday.

Speaker clueless

Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy said he was rather confused over the issue. "There is absolutely no need for any one to lose cool and hurt anyone's sentiment. I can only appeal to the members to maintain decorum of the House. I hope it does not get repeated tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Congress sought an unconditional apology from Mr. Goud. Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Ministers N. Raghuveera Reddy, K. Ramakrishna, Government Chief Whip, N. Kiran Kumar, and K. Surekha, MLA, said they never expected Mr. Goud to use such intemperate language that had only lowered his image.

They felt Mr. Goud had targeted the Congress member, C. Ramakrishna Reddy, personally, out of frustration over the problems he was facing within the Telugu Desam Party. They accused Mr. Naidu of preventing him from tendering an apology.

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