TDP MLA from Narasaraopet Kodela Sivaprasada Rao was unanimously elected as Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Soon after the House met on Friday, Protem-Speaker Pathiwada Narayana Swami Naidu announced the unanimous election of Sivaprasada Rao as Speaker of the AP Assembly. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Leader of the Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy conducted Sivaprasada Rao to the chair.
Congratulating Sivaprasada Rao on his unanimous election, Chandrababu Naidu said he was proud of Sivaprasada Rao for being elected Speaker without contest. He said the latter sincerely fought on the issues of the farmers and got recognition as farmers’ leader. The latter also played a key role in the construction of Basavatharakam Cancel Hospital, he reminded.
Leader of the Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy felt that the Speaker has a crucial role to play in the democracy. The Speaker should treat the ruling and the Opposition parties equally and provide opportunity to the Opposition members to raise the issues being faced by the people in the State, he added. The long political experience of Sivaprasada Rao as legislator would help him run the House properly, he said. He also said his party would highlight the burning issues of the people in the Assembly.
Legislative Affairs Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the experienced gained by Sivaprasada Rao as MLA and Minister would help him carry out his duty as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Reminding that Rao got recognition as successful Doctor, MLA and Minister, he felt the latter would also become a successful Speaker. He stressed the need to run the House as per procedures, practices, ethical values and democratic traditions. He emphasized that the Assembly should debate the public issues on top priority otherwise it would cause colossal loss to the people. The Speaker should ensure healthy debates on important issues in the House. He opined that the Speaker doesn’t belong to a particular party after his election to the post, but he belongs to the entire people of the State.
Thanking the Chief Minister and Opposition leaders for his unanimous election, Kodela reminded when he was elected as MLA for the first time, the Assembly was running in the same building, which was now Legislative Assembly to the new Andhra Pradesh.
The first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly after Andhra was separated from erstwhile Madras Province was from Narasaraopet constituency. I, the first Speaker of the residual AP State also belong to the same constituency”, he pointed out.
The Speaker felt the House should become a platform for debate on public issues, Bills and budget. Claiming that injustice was meted out to Andhra Pradesh in the bifurcation, he said, “We are now at cross roads. Unless united efforts were made continuously, it would not be possible to get adequate resources from the Centre, he added. “Though there are inadequate facilities, our Legislative Assembly must be located in Andhra Pradesh”, he felt.
Later, the Speaker administered oath to five legislators. Announcing Y S Jaganmohan Reddy as Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker adjourned the House for the day.
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