Hyderabad, March 30 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker Saturday issued notices to 18 rebel legislators of ruling Congress party and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), asking them why they should not be disqualified.

Speaker N. Manohar issued notices to nine legislators each of Congress and TDP after their respective parties submitted petitions, seeking their disqualification. These legislators had defied the whips issued by their respective parties to support no-confidence motion moved by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the assembly against the Congress government a few days ago.
All nine Congress rebels, sailing with YSR Congress party, defied the party whip to support the motion. The TDP had decided to remain neutral during the voting but its nine rebels, most of them loyal to YSR Congress, backed the motion.
Both Congress and TDP had submitted petitions to the speaker seeking their disqualification. The speaker has asked the legislators to submit their replies in 14 days.
The nine Congress members whose disqualification has been sought are Alla Nani, G. Ravi Kumar, D. Chandrasekara Reddy, Jogi Ramesh, Perni Nani, B. Sivaprasada Reddy, M, Rajesh, S. Krishna Ranga Rao and P. Ramchandra Reddy.
The TDP rebels are Amarnath Reddy, Praveen Kumar Reddy, Y Balanagi Reddy, Kodali Srivenkateswara Rao, Chinnam Ramakotaiah, Taneti Vanitha, Sairaj, K Harishwar Reddy and S Venugopalachari.