Amaravati, Feb 24 Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Monday ruled out granting opposition party status to the YSR Congress Party.
He said it was clear that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) would not get the opposition party status for five years.
Talking to media persons after Governor S. Abdul Nazeer’s address to the joint session of both houses of the state legislature on the first day of the Budget session, Pawan Kalyan, referring to the YSRCP’s protest during the Governor’s speech on demanding the Leader of the Opposition status to its leader and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, remarked that this status is given by people and it can’t come with a demand for it.
The Jana Sena leader stated that usually the party that gets the second highest number is given the status of opposition party and noted that his party is the second largest party in the Assembly. "If the YSRCP had secured a seat more than us, it would have got the status of opposition," he said.
The Jana Sena, which is a part of the TDP-led coalition government, has 21 seats in the 175-member Assembly. The YSRCP could win only 11 seats.
The Deputy Chief Minister advised the YSRCP to act in a dignified manner and said it was not proper to say that they would stall the proceedings for not being given the status of opposition. "Come to the Assembly with 11 seats given by people, raise people’s problems, and point out government’s shortcomings. The Speaker will allot the time based on the party’s strength," he said.
On the YSRCP trying to disrupt the Governor’s speech by raising slogans, he said this was proof of the party’s falling standards.
The Jana Sena leader said that the denial of opposition status to YSRCP was not because the government wanted to insult them but there are rules for granting that status.
On the YSRCP’s argument that it polled nearly 40 per cent votes and hence, deserves the status of opposition, he remarked that those who take the vote percentage into account should go to Germany.
Jagan Mohan Reddy and other legislators of the YSRCP staged a walk-out after a protest during the Governor’s speech to demand the status of the main opposition.
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