Andhra Speaker Rejects YSRCP Claim For LoP status to Jagan

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu on Wednesday dismissed the plea of the YSRCP to grant Leader of Opposition (LoP) status to Pulivendula MLA and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying he does not have the required strength of 18 MLAs in the House of 175.

The Speaker, in a letter addressed to the members of the House, stated point blank that the support of one-tenth of MLAs is the prerequisite for anyone to claim the status of LoP.

The LoP is entitled for certain privileges including the protocol with that of a Cabinet Minister. The YSRCP has been boycotting the Assembly sessions on the plea that if their leader is granted LoP, thy can get adequate time to participate in the deliberations.

In his ruling in the House, Patrudu said the "unreasonable desire" of Jagan for according LoP status cannot be considered as YSRCP has 11 members in the 175-member Assembly. He said the communication he received from Jagan Mohan Reddy was replete with "accusations, speculative assertions, threats and fallacious arguments," all aimed at asserting the sense of entitlement to be recognised as LoP.

Jagan reiterates claim

Later decrying the Speaker's decision, Jagan reiterated his claim for LoP status saying for healthy functioning of democracy, members from the Opposition party irrespective of their number in the Assembly should be given LoP status. "I will get time on par with the Leader of the House in the discussions if I am given LoP recognition. There is no Opposition in the Assembly barring YSRCP because BJP and Jana Sena are part of the ruling coalition.

"They also should remember that YSRCP secured 40 per cent of the vote share in the elections," he contended.

In his response, the Speaker in his ruling said: "I have received a communication dated 24.06.2024 from Sri YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Hon’ble Member of this House. He said shortly thereafter, Jagan approached the High Court of Andhra Pradesh, seeking, inter alia, a direction to the Secretary to the Legislative Assembly and the Secretary to the Speaker to designate him as the LoP. "I took a conscious decision to await the outcome of the legal proceedings sought to be initiated" by Jagan as the High Court was in the process of examining the very admissibility of his writ petition. The High Court agreed with the suggestion of the Advocate General to not to make the Speaker and Minister of Legislative Affairs a party to the litigation, though Jagan sought to array both as respondents in his writ petition.

The Speaker said that of late, certain news reports quoting Jagan in connection with the matter were brought to his notice. The reports quoted Jagan’s audacious claims that the court had ‘issued summons to the Speaker’ and ‘gave directions to the Speaker to pass orders’. The fact is that his writ petition, as on today, is not even admitted by the High Court, the Speaker said. "I am not surprised by the repeated malicious and vitriolic campaign being carried out" by Jagan. It is consistent with baseless allegations made by him in his accusatory communication dated 24.06.2024.

He said on this occasion, he (Jagan) has gone so far as to attribute his speculative assertions to the High Court. Regrettably, this is characteristic of his approach.