Citing AAP in Delhi, Jagan Mohan Reddy demands principal Opposition status in Andhra Asembly

This is the second time since the Budget Session started on February 24 that YSRCP has raised the demand for LoP in the House.

Minister N Lokesh Naidu also made a statement in the Assembly supporting the Speaker’s stance. However, Jagan opposed the Speaker’s ruling.

“The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had given the BJP opposition party status when it had only three members. We are the only Opposition in Andhra Pradesh — the Telugu Desam Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Jana Sena are coalition members,” Jagan thundered in the Assembly.

He also accused the TDP-led Chandrababu Naidu government of disregarding constitutional values “by not allowing the only Opposition party in the Assembly to function properly in the House, not allotted enough time to speak, and not allocated LoP status”.

“How will the voice of the people be heard, if the Opposition party is not allowed in the Assembly. We got 40 percent vote share and if we are given Opposition status then who will be the Opposition?” he asked.

The Speaker reminded Jagan that his writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court to be recognised as LoP was still pending, warning that his accusations could amount to breach of privilege and contempt of the House.

The YSRCP has been demanding the LoP status after last year’s elections, with Jagan even writing to the Speaker about it in June last year. On February 26, stormy scenes were witnessed during Governor S Abdul Nazeer’s address to a joint session of the Andhra Pradesh’s Legislative Council and Assembly, with the YSRCP walking out of the session over the issue.