Former Minister Perni Nani has once again drawn attention with his remarks. Today, he demanded that YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy be given the status of Leader of the Opposition. He even asked why there is fear in granting this recognition.
Speaking to the media in Tadepalli, Nani said if the government can answer Jagan’s questions, it should give him opposition status. He pointed out that they approached the court since Chandrababu did not grant it earlier. His tone suggested suspicion toward the ruling side.
But the rules are clear. A party needs eighteen seats to qualify for the Leader of Opposition post. YSR Congress has only eleven. With this count, the demand looks weak, and the idea of “fear” seems misplaced.
Jagan can still ask questions in the Assembly. Even without LOP status, he has enough opportunity to raise issues. With eleven MLAs, he can use their time to speak at length. Even at five minutes each, he gets over fifty minutes.
This raises doubts about his real intention. LOP status comes with cabinet rank, perks, and privileges. These benefits go beyond speaking time in the Assembly. The demand appears more about advantages than accountability.
Jagan has already challenged the Speaker’s ruling in court. The AP Legislative Assembly Speaker Ayyannapatrudu earlier rejected YSRCP’s claim. Now, the High Court has postponed the hearing.
The court has issued notices to Speaker Ayyannapatrudu, the Speaker’s Secretary, Legislative Affairs Minister Payyavula Keshav, and the Legislative Affairs Secretary. All must file a counter-affidavit. The next hearing is scheduled for October 4.
