YSR Congress to boycott Andhra Assembly session

The opposition YSR Congress Party on Thursday decided to boycott the forthcoming session of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly to press its demand for disqualification of 20 legislators who had crossed over to the ruling Telugu Desam Party.

The decision was taken at the YSRCP legislature party meet presided over by party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy here.

The lone opposition party also demanded that four of the defected legislators who were inducted into the cabinet be sacked immediately.

YSRCP leader Peddireddy Ramchandra Reddy told reporters that the party decided to stay away from the session till the two demands are met.

The Assembly session is likely to be convened from November 10.

"We have decided to boycott the session to protest the undemocratic attitude of the government," he said.

He alleged that the TDP is making a mockery of democracy. He pointed out that a bulletin issued by the Assembly recently said the YSRCP has 66 MLAs, including the 20 who switched loyalties.

"Even the four ministers were shown as part of the YSRCP. Are we part of a coalition government," he wondered.

Ramachandra Reddy said despite several representations the Assembly speaker did not disqualify the defected legislators and four of them were made ministers in April this year.

The YSRCP had won 67 seats in the 175-member Assembly in 2014. However, since then 21 of them crossed over to the TDP. One of the defected MLAs died early this year.

Meanwhile, Jaganmohan Reddy has decided to undertake his state-wide 'padyatra' from November 6.

He decided to name the 'padyatra' as 'Praja Sankalpam' (people's resolve).

The leader of opposition will cover a distance of 3,000 km in all 13 districts over six months.

During the walkathon, to be launched from his native Edupulapaya, Jaganmohan Reddy will interact with people to know their problems.

Through this 'padyatra', the YSRCP president will highlight the 'anti-people' policies of the TDP-BJP government and their failure to fulfil the poll promises.

--IANS

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