Unanimous support for Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy as Speaker

Hyderabad: Senior TRS legislator Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy was declared unanimously elected as Speaker of the Telangana state Assembly and took the Chair on Friday.

After pro-tem Speaker Mumtaz Ahmed Khan declared him elected, Mr Srinivas Reddy was conducted to the Chair by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, MIM MLA Ahmad Balala and others.

Mr Rao addressed the House and thanked all parties for ensuring an unanimous election. Lauding Mr Reddy’s contributions to the Telangana movement and in implementing the Rythu Bandhu and pro-farmer schemes, Mr Rao turned emotional and said his presence would be missed in the Cabinet.

He said Mr Reddy had played a crucial role in improving the financial status of farmers. “His dedication and sincerity prompted me to call him ‘Lakshmi Putrudu’,” he said and noted that Rythu Bandhu had got recognition in the UN.

Tracing Mr Reddy’s political career from during the Emergency, he said the Speaker could not complete his BE as he plunged into the Telangana agitation of 1969. 

Speaking in the House, TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao recalled an incident in the previous House where Mr Reddy stood up to answer a question by the Opposition at 1.30 pm. The members had left for home by then. When this was pointed out, Mr Reddy said they would be watching on TV and proceeded to give his reply. Former minister T. Harish Rao said Mr Reddy oversaw the golden era for agriculture.

Speaking later, Mr Reddy thanked the Chief Minister and members and said he would discharge his duties judiciously. He said he would try his best to run the House properly with the support of the members without reference to caste, creed, region and religion.