VIJAYAWADA: TDP leaders took strong exception to the remarks of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that TDP MLAs are in touch with the ruling party.
Senior TDP leader Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary said that the statements by the Chief Minister gave an impression that he is planning to eliminate the opposition party on the lines of what was done by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Asserting that all the 23 TDP MLAs have the capacity to fight against the government on people’s issues and all of them will remain with the party, he added that YSRC was playing mind games by giving an impression that TDP MLAs are looking to switch their loyalty.
Blaming the YSRC for beginning the war of words in the House on the day of Speaker’s election, Chowdary said that the Chief Minister raked up controversy by attacking the TDP. He also accused the YSRC of violating procedures in taking a decision on electing the Speaker without consulting the opposition party.
Taking strong exception of ‘Bantrothu’ (attender) remark by YSRC leader Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, TDP deputy floor leader K Atchannaidu said he is ready to be the attender of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu if all YSRC members accede that they are attenders of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Refuting YSRC’s charges that Jagan had accompanied the then Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao to the Speaker’s chair in 2014 despite not getting any information from the TDP government, TDP MLA Payyavula Kesav, citing Assembly records, said that the Jagan had accepted that TDP had informed him about the selection of Kodela as Speaker.