Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker Ch Ayyanna Patrudu rejects Jagan Mohan Reddy’s request for Leader of Opposition (LoP) status

VIJAYAWADA: In a significant development, AP Assembly Speaker Ch Ayyanna Patrudu has turned down the request of former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to grant Leader of Opposition (LoP) status.
The speaker, in a ruling announced in the Assembly on Wednesday, made it clear that YSRCP’s campaign on the issue is completely false. He said that no one should expect a wish from the priest (Speaker) after getting rejected by the God (people in democracy).
“Taking the precedents and constitutional provisions into consideration, the unreasonable desire of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for recognition as the Leader of the Opposition cannot be considered,” said Ayyanna Patrudu.
The speaker referred to the Legislative Assembly as the temple, directly elected by the people, who are the Gods. As the Speaker, his role is akin to that of a priest in this temple of democracy, said Patrudu. “It is the will of the people, the Gods, that ultimately prevails. A priest cannot grant a wish that the Gods themselves have declined to fulfil. What has been declined by the people cannot be granted by the Speaker,” said Patrudu.
He said that Jagan Mohan Reddy’s utterances attributing motives to the Chair amount to a breach of privilege and contempt of the House.
“I have decided to treat his diatribe with the contempt it deserves. I am not sure if the House would tolerate any further recurrence of such deplorable conduct. Having clarified the matter to put an end to malicious campaigns and baseless speculations, I take this opportunity to urge all the members of the Legislative Assembly who have chosen to stay away from the proceedings of the House so far to think about the responsibility given to them by electors of their respective constituencies. Your absence from the House will only deprive your voters of the opportunity to raise their concerns in the House through you,” said the Speaker.
He hoped the people of their constituencies would find their voices resonating in the House from now on.