The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : YSR, Naidu lock horns over Masula port

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 14, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR, Naidu lock horns over Masula port

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Locking horns over the Machilipatnam port issue, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu exchanged harsh remarks in the Assembly on Tuesday but withdrew them later, each on his own.

Telugu Desam members stormed the podium three times during the wordy duel between the two, dubbing the Chief Minister's remark as unparliamentary and demanding apology. The trouble began when Transport Minister K. Lakshminarayana read out "note file" signed by Mr. Naidu during his tenure as Chief Minister, terming the Machilipatnam port project as unviable.

Mr. Naidu said his Government had spent Rs. 40 crores to create infrastructure at Machilipatnam. The Minister, however, said this was only for fisheries platforms. At this stage, the Chief Minister said: "This is a typical example of how the TDP creates issue out of non-issue." Seeing Mr. Naidu trying to speak, he said: "Sir, speak." Going by the Chief Minister's hand movement, Mr. Naidu complained to Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy: "See, how he is heckling him." Dr. Reddy said Mr. Naidu was trying to paint untrue as true. Referring to the noise from the TDP, he wanted to know if the man who had made the running commentary (chesinavadu) was the Leader of the Opposition. Objecting to Mr. Naidu being referred in singular person, the TDP members mobbed the Chair. Dr. Reddy too objected to his gesture being described as heckling.

Stalemate continues

As TD members did not yield, the Speaker adjourned the House for a break but the stalemate continued even after it reassembled. The duel ended when the Speaker expunged Mr. Naidu's remark and promised to do so in case of the word used by the Dr. Reddy after verifying if it was unparliamentary.

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