Maverick Telugu Desam Party MLA from Undi assembly constituency Kanumuri Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju, who doesn’t lose an opportunity to take a dig at the YSR Congress party led by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, will not be getting such an opportunity again, at least in his present term.
For, he has been nominated by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu as the deputy speaker of the state assembly and he filed his nomination papers on Wednesday. He will be formally elected as deputy speaker on Thursday.
Since deputy speaker is a Constitutional position, he has to be away from any political affiliation and so, from tomorrow, he cannot make any political speeches at least in the House. Even outside, he has certain limitations to act as a TDP legislator.
So, on Wednesday, Raju got a last chance to make a political speech in the assembly. In fact, it was his first and last budget speech in the current assembly and he made full use of the opportunity to take a dig at the previous YSRCP government.
Raju explained the situations he had faced as a rebel MP during the YSRCP government and the difference between then and now in the assembly.
He expressed his gratitude for recognizing his struggles and giving him this last opportunity.
He said the current situation in the state is more challenging than walking on the edge of a knife. The financial condition of the state is far worse than imagined, and it took a long time to recover from the financial shocks.
He said even chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu could not have anticipated such devastation, and it was only Naidu who could deliver such a budget despite the circumstances. He emphasized the need to keep promises, even if it takes time.
Raju highlighted that Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh had brought projects worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore and Reliance invested Rs 65,000 crore. He urged the government to balance development with welfare schemes as they move forward.
The deputy speaker-designate also recalled how, during the YSRCP regime, he was prevented from visiting his constituency and had to write letters to the Union Finance Minister while sitting in Delhi.
He revealed that back then, he successfully blocked the YSRCP government from securing an additional Rs 1 lakh crore in loans.
He acknowledged the struggles the current chief minister and finance minister were facing in implementing the budget and fulfilling promises made to the public, even losing sleep over it.
He took a dig at the opposition YSRCP, stating that while they do not attend assembly sessions, they continue to conduct discussions at home.
