The YSR Congress Party is seriously considering boycotting the winter session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislature likely to commence in the second week of November at Amaravati to step up its attack against the government on the issue of defection of its legislators to the ruling party illegally.
A meeting of senior leaders of the party held at its central office on Monday chaired by party president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy was of the opinion that there was no need to attend the session when there was no guarantee of getting an opportunity even to speak on issues concerning people. “Besides, the mood of the meeting was to press for disqualification of 24 legislators, including four taken in the N. Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet as Ministers,” deputy floor leader P. Ramachandra Reddy said.
“How can the Speaker and the Chief Minister allow the members elected on the Opposition party ticket to sit in the treasury benches in violation of all laws and basic principles of democracy?” Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said in a statement after the meeting. The meeting did not take a final call on the issue of boycotting the session and a decision would be taken at the party’s legislature party meeting scheduled here for October 26.
The meeting discussed the issues of loan waiver, farmers’ problems, foreign tours of Mr. Naidu, injustice being done to the students of minorities in medical college admissions, Assembly session and the party programmes to be taken up in the remaining 12 districts when Mr. Jagan is undertaking padayatra in a district.
“Senior leaders were of the view that it is better to keep off from the Assembly session instead of witnessing trampling of democracy by sitting there when four legislators of the Opposition party occupy treasury benches as Ministers along with their 20 other party colleagues. They were of the opinion that it is better to stay away than being mute spectators to the murder of democracy,” he stated.
