House needs ethics panel: AP members

HYDERABAD, March 25: A charge of bribery against a Congress legislator in connection with the election to the Rajya Sabha from the state roc...

HYDERABAD, March 25: A charge of bribery against a Congress legislator in connection with the election to the Rajya Sabha from the state rocked the Andhra Pradesh Assembly yesterday leading the entire House to agree on the need for an ethics committee8217; to tackle 8220;issues which bring disrepute to the institution8221;.

The trouble began when Telugu Desam Party member Chappidi Vengaiah rose to allege that Congress member D Nagender had offered him Rs 5 lakh to vote in favour of the Congress nominee in the Rajya Sabha election slated for March 27.

At the end of an acrimonious debate lasting more than two hours, panel speaker K Prathibha Bharati said the letter addressed by Nagender to the TDP MLA and the charges raised would be placed before the Speaker, Y Ramakrishnudu. The Speaker 8212; who was away 8212; will decide on the constitution of an ethics committee on his return, she said.

The issue raised during zero hour led to angry exchanges between Congress and TDP benches even as members from both the sidesrushed to the podium on several occasions raising slogans.

In his letter to Vengaiah yesterday, which was sent through a messenger, Nagender wrote: 8220;I would like to talk to you personally at New MLA quarters at 2.30 pm.8221; Vengaiah returned the letter with the reply that he would meet Nagender at 2.45 pm. Vengaiah represents the Cumbum constituency in Prakasam district while Nagender is an MLA from the city.

The TDP MLA claimed that when he met Nagender, the latter offered him Rs 5 lakh because 8220;he Vengaiah still did not possess a jeep and is living in a dingy house despite being an MLA8221;. The condition was that he should vote for the Congress nominee in the Rajya Sabha polls. The charge led to pandemonium with both the Congress and TDP MLAs shouting at each other, prompting deputy Speaker Mohammed Farooq to adjourn the House for tea break.

When the House reassembled, Nagender, without directly denying the charge, said many TDP MLAs including Vengaiah had expressed their unhappiness about ChiefMinister N Chandrababu Naidu not allotting house plots for legislators. They wanted the Congress to raise the matter in the Assembly, Nagender said citing the names of TDP MLAs 8212; M Kasi Reddy, J Venkat Reddy and D Sivaram.

Story continues below this ad

8220;What is there in the letter? In fact, when I told Vengaiah that I would meet him, the TDP MLA asked me not to come empty handed but bring some gift. I told him that I am not an influential person to offer any good gift,8221; Nagender claimed, accusing the ruling party of raking up the issue only to blame the Congress.

At this juncture, another ruling party MLA, G Sayanna, alleged that Nagender had offered money to him during a meeting of the District Development Review Committee recently. Kasi Reddy said it was improper on the part of Nagender to link the charge against him with the issue of house plots.