Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu said YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister of the State Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was free to challenge the rejection of his plea for Leader of the Opposition (LoP) status in courts but he would not do anything out of fear as he was bound by rules and regulations.
Jagan Mohan Reddy would have become LoP only if the YSRCP had adequate numbers in the House. “The fact that the YSRCP has only 11 MLAs should not be overlooked,” he observed.
Making a brief statement during a discussion on law and order in the Assembly on Thursday (September 25, 2025), Mr. Patrudu said Mr. Mohan Reddy’s continued absence in the Assembly and restraining the other YSRCP MLAs from attending the sessions were unacceptable.
He noted that victory and defeat were common and even great leaders such as Indira Gandhi and N.T. Rama Rao have suffered setbacks in elections.
The Speaker recalled that politicians should stand for values, like Sardar Gouthu Latchanna, under whose stewardship the Swatantra Party had won 60 Assembly constituencies in 1978 in the unified State of Andhra Pradesh.
Latchanna was given LoP recognition at that time as his party had the required strength. But, he resigned from the post after several MLAs quit his party, saying that he was no longer eligible to remain as LoP. That was the kind of value-based politics Andhra Pradesh had seen.
“Here is a leader [Jagan Mohan Reddy] who is demanding LoP status in spite of his party falling short of the numbers in the Assembly. He should remember that I am bound by rules.” Mr. Patrudu advised the YSRCP chief, reminding him that as MLAs, he and his party leaders were answerable to his electors.
Published – September 25, 2025 03:45 pm IST
