The commotion at Lok Sabha over the Telangana issue on Tuesday has reflected badly on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance.
Even as Members of Parliament from Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana regions fought over the Telangana issue in the floor of the House, no Congress minister or leader tried to control the pandemonium by answering their questions.
While the All India Congress Committee is likely to issue a disciplinary notice against MP Jaganmohan Reddy for supporting the Telugu Desam Party MPs in their protest for united Andhra Pradesh, Jagan's act is being seen as a challenge to the Congress' leadership which had decided to go ahead with the forming of Telangana a few days ago.
Most of the senior Congress leader or minister were absent when the TDP MPs began the commotion.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who was in his office inside the Parliament, did not attend the Lok Sabha session on Tuesday. Singh left the premises after the pandemonium broke out inside the House.
At the end of the Question Hour, all the treasury benches were empty, while Home Minister P Chidambaram quietly picked up his files and left the House at 11.55 pm. However, he was chased by Congress MP K S Rao.
"We cannot say anything now," was the cryptic answer of home minister to Rao.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who was present in the Lok Sabha, also left before the last question was asked.
Finance Minister and Leader of Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee too was absent when the TDP MPs raised the 'United Andhra' slogans at 12.10 pm, after Speaker Meira Kumar asked a TDP MP to speak.
In the middle of the fight, Congress MP Jagannatham was almost ready to take on Minister of Information Technology Venkatarama Reddy from Telangana. But for MP Pawan Basal separating them, the issue would have turned unsavoury.
In the din that lasted for about 10-15 minutes, none of the senior Union ministers of were present in the House to control the unruly MPs.
