Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar will hear for two days the disqualification petitions against 18 Congress and TDP MLAs, who defied the party whip during the no-confidence motion some time ago.

The petitioners – Congress Legislature Party and the TD Legislature Party – will also make their case for disqualifying the rebel MLAs, who are either sailing with the YSRC or the TRS.

As many as 15 rebel MLAs backing the YSRC, two others – K. Harishwar Reddy and S. Venugopala Chary – differed with the TDP on the Telangana statehood issue are facing suspension. The third TDP MLA Chinnam Ramakotaiah, has differed with the party leadership and abstained from voting during the no-confidence motion. The first day, as many as nine MLAs are expected to depose before the Speaker while the rest will be called the next day. The Speaker is planning to ensure that the legislature party representatives are also present to clarify and submit documentary evidence against the erring members.

The MLAs backing the YSRC have given in writing that they should be disqualified as they wilfully violated the party whip. They went to the extent of demanding that the Election Commission hold bye-elections.

The MLAs summoned for hearing are: R.V.S.K. Ranga Rao (Bobbili), D.Chandrasekhara Reddy (Kakinada City), A.K.Srinivas (Eluru), Maddala Rajesh Kumar (Chintalapudi), Perni Venkataramaiah (Machilipatnam), Jogi Ramesh (Pedana), Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy (Punganur), Gottipati Ravi Kumar (Addanki) and B.Sivaprasada Reddy (Darsi) – all Congress MLAs.

The TDP MLAs are : P.Sai Raj (Ichapuram), P. Vanitha (Gopalapuram), Kodali Venkateswara Rao (Gudivada), N.Amarnatha Reddy (Palamner), Praveen Kumar Reddy (Thambalapalle), Y. Balanagi Reddy (Mantralayam), Chinnam Ramakotaiah (Nuzvid), K. Hariswar Reddy (Parigi) and S. Venugopala Chary (Mudhole).