Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Denies Jagan's Request for Opposition Leader Title

Amaravati, March 5 (NationPress) - The Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, Ayyanna Patrudu, on Wednesday dismissed the request of former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party leader Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to be acknowledged as the Leader of the Opposition.

In his announcement within the Assembly, the Speaker stated that Jagan's "unreasonable desire" for such recognition could not be entertained.

According to the Speaker, in a 175-member state Assembly, a party must possess a minimum of 18 members to have its leader recognized as the LoP. Currently, the YSR Congress Party led by Jagan comprises only 11 members.

The Speaker highlighted that the correspondence he received from Jagan Mohan Reddy in June 2024 was filled with "accusations, speculative assertions, threats, and fallacious arguments", all aimed at justifying his claim for recognition as the Leader of the Opposition.

Furthermore, the Speaker pointed out that Jagan had also approached the High Court, seeking a directive from the Legislative Assembly Secretary and the Speaker to designate him as the 'Leader of the Opposition' in the Assembly.

Ayyanna Patrudu remarked that certain media reports citing Jagan's "audacious" claims, including that the High Court "issued summons to the Speaker" and instructed him to issue orders, were brought to his attention.

However, the Speaker clarified that Jagan's writ petition has not yet been admitted by the Hon'ble High Court. "I am not surprised by the ongoing malicious and vitriolic campaign by Sri Jagan Mohan Reddy, which aligns with the baseless allegations made by him in his accusatory communication dated 24.06.2024," the Speaker stated. He added that Jagan had gone so far as to link his speculative claims to the Hon'ble High Court, which is regrettable and typical of his approach.

The Speaker dismissed Jagan Mohan Reddy's assertion that the order in which he was called to take the oath as an Assembly member on June 21 indicated a decision to deny him the Leader of the Opposition status. He affirmed that the oath-taking process strictly adhered to established conventions.

He emphasized that the official communication regarding Jagan Mohan Reddy's election as the Leader of the YSRC Legislature Party was only received by the Secretariat on June 26. "The question, therefore, arises: In the absence of such communication, could any claim for recognition have been considered? Especially, even before the election of the Speaker?" he queried.

According to the Speaker, the eligibility for the Leader of Opposition position is solely determined by constitutional provisions, legal mandates, and established precedents.

The Speaker referenced several rules from the Andhra Pradesh Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualifications Act, 1953, along with examples from the 16th and 17th Lok Sabha to support his ruling.

"In the 175-member Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh, unless the largest opposition party has a minimum of 18 Members, it would be improper to consider its leader for recognition as the Leader of the Opposition solely at discretion," the ruling stated.

Additionally, the Speaker noted that Jagan Mohan Reddy's comments attributing motives to the Chair constituted a breach of privilege and contempt of the House. "I have chosen to treat his diatribe with the contempt it deserves. I am uncertain if the House will tolerate any further recurrence of such deplorable conduct," he remarked.

Lastly, the Speaker encouraged YSRCP MLAs to attend the Assembly and reflect on their responsibilities to their respective constituencies. He cautioned that their absence would deprive their voters of the chance to voice their concerns in the House.