Addressing the House in the second session of the Assembly, Jaganmohan Reddy lashed out against the leader of the opposition and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for trading YSRCP MLAs and MPs during his period
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, on Thursday (June 13) urged the state Assembly Speaker to disqualify legislators defecting to the other party immediately. This move by the chief minister came after he aimed to set an example to the nation.
Congratulating Tammineni Seetharam on his unanimous election as the Speakr, Jagan hoped that under him, the state Assembly would set an example for the entire country.
In his first speech in the newly elected Assembly, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief launched a scathing attack on the leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu for reportedly buying 23 MLAs and 3 MPs of the YSRCP when he was in power.
Addressing the Assembly, Jagan said, "God wrote a beautiful script" by giving Telugu Desam Party (TDP) 23 seats in the Assembly and three seats in Lok Sabha. Jagan further said that this would be the best example set by God to punish those who stand for injustice. This as an indirect hit as the TDP after its massive defeat in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Resolving to not indulge in horse trading, the YSRCP chief said if at all he has to admit any legislator from the TDP into the YSRCP, he will do so only after his resignation.
"I was told that if we make 4-5 TDP MLAs defect, the party will lose the post of leader of opposition, but I will not do this. Will there will be any difference between Chandrababu Naidu and me?" said YS Jagan recalling that the anti-defection law and other rules and regulations were thrown to the wind by the previous TDP government.
The second day of the first session of the Assembly saw the first war of words between YS Jagan and Chandrababu Naidu since the reversal of roles.
Taking strong exception to the chief minister's remarks, Naidu launched a counter-attack by reminding him that his father, YS Rajasekhara Reddy had defected to Congress after getting elected as MLA on the ticket of Reddy Congress in 1978.
Naidu alleged that YS Jagan in his very first speech as the chief minister had tried to depreciate the opposition.
Naidu's remarks led to sharp exchanges between the members of the treasury and opposition benches.
Earlier in May, Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSRCP came to power in the state with a landslide majority by winning 151 seats in 175-member Assembly.
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