Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu on Wednesday sought to put an end to the ongoing controversy over the denial of Leader of Opposition (LoP) status to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
In a detailed four-page ruling, the Speaker stated that there was no question of granting LoP status to Jagan, as the YSRCP does not have the required number of MLAs to qualify for the position.
Quoting legendary actor and former Chief Minister N T Rama Rao, Ayyanna compared the Legislative Assembly to a temple and his role as akin to a priest.
“In a democracy, the people are the gods, and the Assembly is their temple. As Speaker, I am like a priest in this temple of democracy. A priest cannot grant a wish that the gods themselves have declined to fulfill. What has been denied by the people cannot be granted by the Speaker,” he asserted.
Refuting Jagan’s Allegations
The Speaker strongly refuted the allegations made by Jagan and his party leaders that he had remained silent on the LoP issue.
“I consciously chose to await the outcome of legal proceedings initiated by Jagan, as the High Court was still examining the admissibility of his writ petition,” Ayyanna said.
He further clarified that the High Court had refused to make the Speaker or the Minister for Legislative Affairs a party to the litigation.
He dismissed media reports suggesting that the High Court had issued summons to him or directed him to pass an order.
"This is a malicious and baseless campaign by Jagan. The High Court has not even admitted Jagan’s petition till date. How can it summon the Speaker?" he questioned.
Legal Basis for Denying LoP Status
Quoting the Andhra Pradesh Payment of Salaries and Pension and Removal of Disqualifications Act, 1953, Ayyanna emphasized that recognizing the Leader of Opposition is solely at the discretion of the Speaker and that his decision is final and conclusive.
He also cited a precedent set by G V Mavalankar, the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha, which states that the LoP must have at least 10% of the total House strength.
“In the 5th and 10th Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assemblies, no party in the opposition secured 10% of the total seats, and thus, no LoP was recognized. Similarly, the 16th and 17th Lok Sabhas had no Leader of Opposition,” Ayyanna pointed out.
He recalled that in the Telangana Assembly, the Congress was granted LoP status in January 2019, but when its strength fell below 10% in June 2019, the recognition was withdrawn.
Debunking Jagan’s Claims
The Speaker dismissed Jagan's claim that P Janardhan Reddy (1994) and P Upendra (8th Lok Sabha) were recognized as LoP despite their parties not meeting the 10% requirement.
“They were recognized as floor leaders of the Congress and TDP, respectively, but not as LoPs,” Ayyanna clarified.
He also reminded Jagan of his own statement in June 2019, when he argued in the Assembly that the TDP would lose its LoP status if five MLAs defected to the ruling party.
“Such selective amnesia does not reflect well on someone who has held high offices, both as Chief Minister and as the former Leader of Opposition,” he remarked.
Warning Against Contempt of the House
Ayyanna warned Jagan that attributing motives to the Speaker amounted to breach of privilege and contempt of the House.
“I have decided to treat his remarks with the contempt they deserve. However, I am unsure whether the House will tolerate a further recurrence of such deplorable conduct,” he cautioned.
Appeal to YSRCP MLAs
The Speaker urged YSRCP MLAs to attend Assembly sessions, stating that their absence deprived their voters of representation.
“Your absence from the House will only deny your voters the opportunity to have their concerns raised through you,” he appealed.
