VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has asserted that the Assembly sessions in the next five years will be different from that of the previous TDP government.“We respect democracy and will allow the opposition party leaders to speak and reply to their queries. There were instances when Chandrababu Naidu read out incorrect data in the House.
At that time, my father YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the then Chief Minister, came to the House with correct document the next day and asked Naidu why he misled the House with false information. But, Naidu replied that it was done only to know the correct figures from the government. Such tactics can be tackled effectively if we have the material, facts and figures,” he said, addressing the orientation programme for legislators organised at the AP Legislature in Velagapudi on Wednesday.
Asking the legislators to maintain the dignity and decorum of the Assembly and come fully prepared on the subject that comes up for discussion, the Chief Minister wanted them to be punctual. “I used to wake up at 4 am and do a lot of homework to prepare the required content for speaking in the Assembly when we were in Opposition. You should keep in mind that public speeches are different from speaking in the Assembly. We will cut a sorry figure if we do not have the material or data to counter the argument of the Opposition. An orator’s speech backed with data is always better than his speech without any preparation,’’ Jagan pointed out.
He suggested the members to come to the House at least half-an-hour before start of the proceedings to know the listings and prepare for the subjects to be taken up. The Chief Minister also directed the legislators to meet after the day’s proceedings to know what is on the next day’s agenda.“Unlike the previous practice of switching off mics when the opposition members raising issues, we will give opportunity for the opposition leaders to speak,” Jagan asserted.
“Some people say that by taking away five MLAs, the TDP will lose its Opposition status. However, we do not encourage or engineer defections. If any MLA wants to join the YSRC, he/she should resign first and face the disqualification Act,” Jagan made it clear.Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said that tolerance and respect for minority opinion is the courage and strength of the majority and he narrated how Jagan used to prepare party MLAs while they were in the Opposition with facts and figures to raise issues of public interest in the Assembly.
He said that training classes are being held on the Assembly premises to avoid spending public money lavishly unlike the previous government, which held such meetings in star hotels. Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram said that the two-day orientation programme is being taken up as 70 of the 175 MLAs are first timers.
He appealed to the members not to waste time of the House as the government is spending Rs 150 crore on conducting the sessions a year. Council Chairman MD Sharif Ahmed, officials of the Assembly Secretariat and MLAs participated. Chakshu Roy, who heads the legislative and civic engagement initiatives at the Delhi-based PRS, explained the rules and procedures of the Assembly and its functioning and other issues.