After YSRCP's defeat in June, Jagan Mohan Reddy has pushed for Leader of Opposition (LoP) status, arguing his party deserves recognition. However, the ruling coalition counters that YSRCP lacks the required 18 seats.
Published Mar 05, 2025 | 9:13 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 05, 2025 | 9:13 PM
YS Jagan (X)
Synopsis: YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated that his party deserves official opposition status in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, being the only opposition to the ruling coalition. He criticised the state budget, calling it “number jugglery,” and emphasised that without opposition recognition, democratic discussions would be undermined. He compared it to the BJP being granted opposition status in Delhi despite limited seats
YSRCP supremo and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated on Wednesday, 5 March, that his party deserves the official status of the opposition party in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, as it is the only opposition party in the House, to the ruling coalition.
Following his analysis of the state budget, which he described as “number jugglery,” Jagan Mohan Reddy told the media, “In the House, we are the only opposition party. All other parties are part of the ruling coalition. Granting our party the opposition status will ensure that people’s issues are brought to the forefront for discussion.”
He said that the ruling TDP-led NDA will have a free run of the Assembly if there is no opposition, which is not in the interest of democracy. “This practice would reduce the proceedings to a mockery of the purpose of the Assembly,” he said.
He drew a parallel to the time when the BJP, with just three members in the Delhi Assembly, was granted opposition status. “If the opposition is not allowed to raise issues, who will?” he asked, emphasising the need for his party to be recognised officially. “Only then can we elect a leader who will have the priority to speak after the leader of the House,” he added, pointing out that one should not forget that YSRCP had a share of 40 percent of votes in the Assembly elections.
Since his party’s defeat in the June Assembly elections to the ruling NDA coalition, Jagan Mohan Reddy has been insisting on conferment of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) status. He had then written to the Assembly Speaker, arguing that his party deserves official opposition party recognition, sparking an ongoing debate in political circles.
The ruling coalition, however, questions his claim, pointing out that the YSRCP does not meet the mandatory requirement of having at least one-tenth of the Assembly seats to qualify for LoP status. In the recent elections, Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party won only 11 seats, including his own. To qualify for LoP status, a party needs 18 seats in the 175-member Assembly. The LoP position carries significant privileges, including the right to speak immediately after the chief minister and Cabinet status.
The TDP has opposed Jagan Mohan Reddy’s demand, arguing that neither in the Lok Sabha nor in any state Assembly has a party with less than 10 percent of the seats been granted official opposition status. Senior advocates note that while there is no specific rule or Act mandating the one-tenth requirement, it is a well-established tradition in both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. In the Lok Sabha, Speakers have historically set the guideline that a party must hold at least 10 percent of the seats to be recognised as the official opposition.
Jagan Mohan Reddy, however, contends that since there is no explicit rule requiring one-tenth of the seats, the Speaker should grant him the LoP status, in the interest of democracy. He argues that the absence of an official opposition undermines the democratic process.
In the current Assembly, the Jana Sena and BJP are part of the ruling coalition. Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan has occasionally stated that he will play the role of the opposition, but as the deputy chief minister, he cannot simultaneously serve as the Leader of the Opposition, which is a contradiction in terms.
A similar situation existed in Telangana, when BRS was in power from 2018 to 2023. The Congress lost its official opposition status after its strength in the Assembly fell below one-tenth of the total seats. Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka was stripped of his LoP status when two-thirds of the Congress legislators merged with the BRS, reducing the party’s numbers below the required threshold.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
