VIJAYAWADA: Criticising YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for boycotting the Assembly session for not being given the Leader of Opposition (LoP) status, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday asserted that dictating terms and demanding positions will not work in a democracy.
Speaking in the House on Thursday, Naidu said, “I have never seen a leader like Jagan who is demanding the status of Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly to attend the proceedings.” He added the LoP status is not granted, but it has to be earned through people’s votes.
While congratulating Undi MLA K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju on being unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister quipped, “As MP, Raghu Rama Krishna Raju was not allowed into the State by the previous YSRC regime. Now, Jagan is not in a position to come to the House as he can’t see him as Deputy Speaker.
This is God’s script.” Comparing the former Chief Minister to Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, Naidu recalled the alleged torture meted out to Raghu Ramakrishna Raju during the previous government and said it was the first time he had heard of an MP being subjected to custodial torture.
‘Lay emphasis on upholding House decorum’
Following the unanimous election of the Undi MLA as the Deputy Speaker, Chief Minister and Leader of the House N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav and other leaders escorted him to the Speaker’s podium, where he occupied the chair.
Several leaders, including Pawan and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, hoped that Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu and Deputy Speaker Raghu Ramakrishna Raju will conduct the proceedings of the House in a dignified manner as usage of filthy language was the order of the day during the past five years.