Pawan Kalyan Rules Out Opposition Party Status for YSRCP
Speaking to the media 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, Kalyan made it clear that YSRCP would not receive the opposition status for the next five years.
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has firmly ruled out granting the opposition party status to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
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Speaking to the media 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, Kalyan made it clear that YSRCP would not receive the opposition status for the next five years.
Opposition Party Status Not Granted Through Demand: Pawan Kalyan
Pawan Kalyan emphasized that opposition status is granted by the people and cannot be demanded. Referring to the YSRCP’s protest during the Governor’s speech, where they sought the Leader of Opposition status for their leader, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Kalyan stated that such a status is usually granted to the party with the second-highest number of seats in the Assembly. He added, “If the YSRCP had secured one more seat than us, it would have gotten the opposition status.”
Jana Sena Holds Second-Largest Position in the Assembly
The Jana Sena Party, which is a part of the TDP-led coalition government, currently holds 21 seats in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly. In comparison, the YSRCP won only 11 seats in the elections. This disparity in seat count is the basis for Kalyan’s stance on the opposition status.
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Pawan Kalyan Advises YSRCP to Respect Legislative Protocol
The deputy Chief minister advised the YSRCP to act with dignity and respect the democratic process. He pointed out that instead of stalling legislative proceedings over the demand for opposition status, the YSRCP should focus on raising public issues and highlighting government shortcomings in the Assembly. “The Speaker will allot time based on party strength,” Kalyan said.
Disrupting the Governor’s Speech Reflects YSRCP’s Falling Standards
Pawan Kalyan criticized the YSRCP for attempting to disrupt the Governor’s speech by raising slogans, calling it a reflection of the party’s declining standards. He clarified that the denial of opposition status was not meant to insult the YSRCP but was based on established rules and regulations.
YSRCP’s Vote Share Not a Basis for Opposition Status: Pawan Kalyan
Responding to YSRCP’s argument that it polled nearly 40 percent of the votes, Kalyan humorously remarked that those who base the opposition status on vote share should look to Germany. He reiterated that the position of opposition is determined by seats, not vote percentage.
YSRCP Walks Out in Protest
In response to the denial of opposition status, Jagan Mohan Reddy and other YSRCP legislators staged a walk-out after protesting during the Governor’s speech. The walk-out was part of their demonstration to demand the status of the main opposition party in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
