VIJAYAWADA : On November 19, 2021, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu had vowed to re-enter the Assembly only after becoming the Chief Minister of the State. On Friday, the 74-year-old stepped into the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly as Chief Minister with the support of 135 TDP, 21 JSP and eight BJP MLAs.
Naidu, who bowed down and touched the threshold before entering the House after two-and-a-half-years, had walked out of the Assembly in 2021 in protest against the alleged objectionable remarks made by the then ruling YSRC leaders against his family members. Terming the house a ‘Kourava Sabha’, he had vowed to return to the Assembly only as Chief Minister.
Pro-tem Speaker Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary administered the oath to 172 of the total 175 legislators. The remaining three MLAs (all from TDP) — Pithani Satyanarayana (Achanta), Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao (Kakinada City), GV Anjaneyulu (Vinukonda) — will take oath on Saturday.
While the Assembly session began at 9.46 am, YSRC president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived around 10.17 am. Within a few minutes, he was administered the oath as a member of the House. Following this, he greeted his fellow legislators and Leader of the House Chandrababu Naidu with a Namaste. They responded in the same manner.
Jagan, who seemed to be emotional while taking the oath, read out his name as Jagan Mohan at first. However, he corrected himself and read his full name as YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Soon after, he greeted the Pro-tem Speaker and left the House. Earlier, the former chief minister held a meeting with YSRC MLAs in his chamber.
Ayyanna Patrudu elected as speaker
TDP leader and Narsipatnam MLA Ch Ayyanna Patrudu was unanimously elected as the Assembly Speaker. The 7-time legislator will take charge on Saturday. He vowed to give equal importance to everyone while discharging duties
Jagan may skip proceedings today
YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy left the Assembly soon after he took oath as MLA. He is unlikely to attend the session on Saturday as he will be leaving for Pulivendula. During his 5-day trip, he will meet YSRC leaders of Rayalaseema
Democracy triumphed: Bhuvaneswari
On day one of the proceedings, senior TDP leader Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Assembly.
The YSRC, which has 11 seats in the Assembly, did not oppose when the NDA proposed the Narsipatnam MLA’s name for the Speaker’s post.
Ayyanna will formally take charge on Saturday. As per custom, the Leader of the House and the Leader of Opposition will accompany the Speaker to his Chair on the first day of his appointment. However, Jagan is unlikely to attend the Assembly session on Saturday as he will be leaving for Pulivendula.
He will stay in his home constituency for five days and hold meetings with leaders from the Rayalaseema region.
When Tammineni Sitaram was appointed as the Speaker in the previous Assembly, Naidu did not accompany him to his Chair. Following this, the YSRC criticised the latter for showing disrespect to a BC leader.
Nara Bhuvaneswari watched her husband Chandrababu Naidu take oath as MLA on television.
Taking to social media platform X, she posted, “CM Naidu is in the respectful House. Truth won, democracy triumphed. Salute to the people.” She used the hashtag ‘Telugu Atma Gauravam Wins’.
Earlier in the day, Naidu along with the TDP Ministers and MLAs offered floral tributes to the statue of party founder and former chief minister NT Rama Rao at Venkatapalem before heading to the Assembly.