Pawan Kalyan asserts YSRCP not eligible for Opposition status in the Assembly

Pawan Kalyan denies YSRCP opposition status, criticizes behavior, and announces plans for Sanatana Dharma Protection Board.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has firmly stated that the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) is not eligible for Opposition status in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Addressing the media at the Assembly Media Point after the Governor’s speech on Monday (February 24), Kalyan clarified that the decision is based on constitutional provisions and not a matter of personal or political discretion.

“YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will not get the opposition status for the present five years tenure. This is not something decided by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu or myself. It is a decision dictated by the verdict of the people and the constitutional framework,” Pawan Kalyan emphasized. He noted that YSRCP failed to secure the required number of seats to claim the Opposition status, and despite knowing this, its leaders continue to waste valuable Assembly time and public funds.

Mocking YSRCP’s demand based on vote share, Kalyan remarked that if they want Opposition status based on vote percentage rather than seat count, they should consider moving to Germany, where such a system is followed. “In India, Opposition status is granted based on the number of seats won, not the vote share. YSRCP leaders should understand this instead of misleading the public,” he added.

Pawan Kalyan strongly criticized the behavior of YSRCP legislators during Governor Abdul Nazeer’s address, calling it inappropriate and disrespectful. “The Governor, despite his recent health issues, attended the session to deliver his speech. Instead of listening to it respectfully, YSRCP MLAs disrupted the proceedings by tearing up speech copies and walking out midway. This conduct is truly regrettable,” he said.

Taking a dig at YSRCP leaders, Pawan Kalyan said they must first attend Assembly sessions if they want to participate in discussions. “Let them first come to the House and then see how much time they are allocated. Making baseless demands outside the Assembly while staying away from sessions is unethical,” he asserted. He also recalled that the government had shown due respect to YSRCP despite its limited representation of just 11 seats.

Clarifying his stance on official protocol, Pawan Kalyan explained that he adhered to the government’s established norms during key events. “During the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony, I sat in the ministers’ designated row, as per protocol. Even today, when asked to receive the Governor, I followed the procedure where the Speaker, Chief Minister, and Legislative Council Chairman take the lead,” he said, urging YSRCP leaders to acknowledge these protocols instead of making baseless allegations.

When asked about the proposed Sanatana Dharma Protection Board, Pawan Kalyan said a detailed announcement would be made during the March 14th event. “Just like we have a Waqf Board, there should also be a Sanatana Dharma Protection Board,” he stated. He also assured that discussions were underway with the Chief Minister and Cabinet members to provide relief measures for distressed chilli farmers.