YSRCP Protest During Andhra Pradesh Budget Session Sparks Tensions with Pawan Kalyan
The Andhra Pradesh budget session was marked by significant disruption when members of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) raised slogans demanding official recognition as the opposition party. The protestors attempted to obstruct the Governor’s address for nearly 11 minutes before staging a walkout from the assembly. This move has led to a sharp exchange of words, with Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan making strong remarks in response to their demand.
Pawan Kalyan asserted that opposition status is not something granted by the Chief Minister or the Speaker but is ultimately determined by the people of the state. He pointed out that the YSRCP had secured only 11 seats in the recent elections, while the Jana Sena Party (JSP) emerged as the second-largest party in the state. In a scathing critique, Kalyan ridiculed YSRCP, highlighting that they had not secured as many seats as JSP. He made it clear that the YSRCP would not be granted opposition status. However, he added that had YSRCP won even one more seat than JSP, the government would have considered recognizing them as the official opposition.
In his comments, Kalyan emphasized that disrupting assembly proceedings would not help the party secure opposition status, calling the protest an example of YSRCP’s political decline. “Fix yourselves… you won’t get opposition status in these five years,” Kalyan declared. He also reiterated that specific rules govern the recognition of opposition parties, underscoring that the matter is not subject to political whims.
The Deputy Chief Minister also criticized the YSRCP’s attempt to disrupt the Governor’s address, especially since the Governor was attending the session while unwell with a fever. Calling the disruption disgraceful, Kalyan urged YSRCP members to conduct themselves with dignity and respect for the assembly. He advised the party leaders to respect the 11 seats that had been entrusted to them by the people and to actively participate in the session’s proceedings. He also reassured them that the Speaker would allocate speaking time in proportion to their legislative strength.
The incident has sparked debate about the role of the opposition in the state assembly and raised questions about the decorum expected within the legislative process. With tensions running high, the coming days are likely to witness further developments as political dynamics continue to unfold.
