Decision on petition of TDP rebel MLA in July

HYDERABAD: Assembly speaker Nadendla Manohar is expected to take a final decision on the disqualification petition against TDP rebel MLA N Prasanna Kumar Reddy (Kovur) only in the second week of July. Another six disqualification petitions against four Congress, one each TDP and PRP legislators have also been pending before the speaker.Prior to taking a final decision, the speaker would hear the arguments of both the parties (TDP and Kovur MLA) here on June 27 and 28. He had also served notices on the TDP and Prasanna Kumar Reddy in this regard seeking their explanations.Meanwhile, it is learnt that Manohar is planning to leave for the USA on June 29 to attend programmes organised by the Telugu community in the first week of July. He will return to India on July 8, and will attend the presiding officers’ meeting in New Delhi on July 10. He is expected to return to the state capital on July 12 and will then take up the pending cases relating to disqualification petitions.According to Assembly sources, the speaker is taking due care by following the requisite procedures before taking a final decision on the MLA’s disqualification petition.He has already heard the arguments of both the parties separately on the issue and the ‘arguments’ of one party was also sent to the other party. The TDP was asked to give its explanation on June 27, while Prasanna Kumar Reddy will be allowed to place his views on June 28. However, the parties concerned will be allowed to hear the arguments of other party. Both the parties will be accompanied by their respective lawyers.It may be recalled that the legislative Secretariat, in response to petitions submitted by the Congress, TDP and PRP seeking disqualification of its party rebel MLAs for ‘anti-party activities,’ had already served notices on the legislators concerned seeking explanations.Rebel Congress MLAs K Surekha (Parakal), G Srikant Reddy (Rayachoti), C Adinarayana Reddy (Jammalamadugu), A Amarnath Reddy (Rajampet), TDP MLA Y Balanagi Reddy (Mantralayam), PRP MLA B Shobha Nagi Reddy (Allagadda) were among those facing disqualification petitions.Incidentally, all of them are sailing with Jagan Mohan Reddy.