Jagan’s Assembly Boycott Continues: YCP Leaders Fear Voters’ Backlash!
YCP chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy now appears to be fighting harder for the Leader of Opposition status in the Assembly than he did for Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh. While in the opposition, he had said that he would bend the Centre's hand and secure Special Category Status. But immediately after coming to power, he gave up, saying, “Unfortunately, the BJP got a full majority.” On the issue of Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh, all the major political parties in the state — TDP, YCP and Jana Sena — have engaged in political dramas in their own ways. However, the way YCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is dealing with the issue of attending the Assembly is not sitting well even with leaders of his own party. There is concern among party leaders that this is certain to put them in serious political difficulty in the coming days.
It has been more than two years since the coalition government came to power in Andhra Pradesh. During these two years, except for briefly attending the Assembly during the Governor's address and leaving shortly afterwards, neither Jagan Mohan Reddy nor any of the party's MLAs have been attending the House. YCP has also decided to stay away from the Assembly sessions beginning August 17. However, YCP MLCs are reportedly expected to attend the Legislative Council as usual. Going by this, a debate is now underway over whether Jagan Mohan Reddy will continue his fight for Leader of Opposition status in the same manner for all five years. YCP leaders themselves are questioning why there are MLAs and why there is an Assembly at all if the fight against the government is going to be carried out through press meets.
YCP leaders feel that Jagan Mohan Reddy's approach is also insulting the Assembly system and that it is not politically good at all. For the past two years, Jagan has been staying away from Assembly proceedings without attending the House, citing just one reason — that they will not be given time if they do not have Leader of Opposition status. It is not just Jagan who is staying away. Jagan Mohan Reddy is also keeping the other ten members elected from the YCP away from the Assembly. As a result, those MLAs are losing the opportunity to raise the problems of their Assembly constituencies in the House. Even so, Jagan Mohan Reddy continues to say that there is no point in going to the Assembly without Leader of Opposition status. YCP MLAs are expressing concern that they do not know what their situation will be if people in the next elections feel that there is no point in voting for those who do not even attend the Assembly.
