A file image of Lella Appi Reddy
| Photo Credit: Lella Appi Reddy Facebook handle
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLC Lella Appi Reddy has said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is ‘conspiring to silence the questioning voice by not recognising the Opposition in the Assembly, thereby tearing apart the spirit of democracy’.
Addressing the media at the YSRCP office on Wednesday (February 26, 2025), Mr. Reddy accused the coalition partners —TDP, JSP and BJP— of spreading a false narrative that the Opposition party status was a mere political status.
“The NDA partners are deliberately undermining the Opposition party status to stifle the voice of democracy. The Opposition party status comes with bigger responsibility as it allows more time to discuss public issues in the Assembly,” he said.
Mr. Reddy said only four political parties got elected to the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, of which three parties were part of the government. “So, the YSRCP must be recognised as the main Opposition. According to the 1977 Parliament Act, the main Opposition must be recognised regardless of the number of members in the House. The coalition government is ignoring this,” he said.
The YSRCP, ‘being the main Opposition’, is raising several public issues in the Legislative Council. “Because of this recognition, the YSRCP members are getting more time to deliberate upon the issues of public importance. Recently, when the government was questioned about the forced resignations of Vice-Chancellors, the coalition government was unable to provide answers. The government was tongue-tied when questioned about the lies and false claims made in the Governor’s speech. They were forced into a situation where they had to admit their mistakes,” the YSRCP leader added.
Published – February 27, 2025 05:00 am IST
