NDA government cannot accord LoP status to YSRCP chief Jagan in violation of norms, says Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh HRD Minister N. Lokesh.
| Photo Credit: File Photo

Stating that the NDA is a law-abiding government, Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Nara Lokesh said on Wednesday that they could not violate the law to accord Leader of Opposition (LoP) status to YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Mr. Lokesh said the government provided ‘Z+’ category security to the former Chief Minister, and the Legislative Assembly “cannot accord him LoP status” as the laws, rules and traditions were not permitting.

Mr. Lokesh, along with Ministers Kollu Ravindra, N. Md. Farook, Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, G. Sandhya Rani, and S. Savitha, and MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, was speaking at the Assembly Media Point after the day’s proceedings.

The HRD Minister further said the people of Andhra Pradesh did not elect the number of members the YSRCP required for the LoP status. “Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy can come to the House and participate in debates and discuss public issues as YSRCLP leader, instead of misguiding people by spreading false information,” he observed.

“Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is aware of the fact that the largest opposition party should have a minimum of 10% of total number of members in the House to get the LoP status,” he said. The former Chief Minister had threatened N. Chandrababu Naidu, who was then LoP, over the issue when the YSRCP was in power, Mr. Lokesh recalled.

Alleging that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had indulged in corruption, Mr. Lokesh said, “If he pledges on his daughters that he did not indulge in corruption and divert money through liquor policy, the government will leave him.”