BJP says ready to raise numbers in Assembly, objects to BAC shutout

HYDERABAD: The BJP on Tuesday objected to being left out of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the Legislative Assembly, and said that it was ready to increase its strength to the requisite number in the House if the Speaker could specify how many MLAs were required to make the cut.

BJP MLA M. Raghunandan Rao told reporters outside the House after the day’s session was adjourned that if the Speaker held that three MLAs of the BJP were not enough for the party to qualify to attend the BAC meeting, the party was ready to increase its strength within the term of the current Assembly.

Taking serious objection to being left out of the BAC meeting, Raghunandan Rao, along with his party colleague and MLA Etala Rajendar, said the Speaker needed to say why the BJP was kept out of the BAC meeting.

Raghunandan Rao said he met with the Speaker to air his concerns and was informed that the BJP’s point of view would be placed before the Leader of the House, the Chief Minister.

Rajendar said traditions were being given the go by in the Assembly, and his party would do its best to raise issues that matter to the people. “If not allowed, then we will do so on the streets along with the people,” he said. By suppressing opposition voices in the Assembly, “the government may escape, but cannot in the people’s court,” he said.

 “I have been a member for 20 years, and in the past parties that had just one or two members, were invited to the BAC meetings,” he said.