Ayyanna Patrudu elected AP Assembly Speaker

VIJAYAWADA: Senior Telugu Desam MLA Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu on Saturday assumed charge as Speaker of the 16th Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and BJP MLAs led Ayyanna Patrudu to the podium.

Opposition YSRC president and former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his 10 MLAs remained absent when the legislative assembly elected Ayyanna Patrudu as the speaker. Their absence became more noticeable when they also did not participate in Patrudu’s swearing-in as the Speaker.

Legislators of TD, Jana Sena and BJP objected to the absence of Jagan Mohan Reddy and his legislators.

Speaking on the occasion, Naidu said selection of the senior-most leader Ayyanna Patrudu as speaker of the legislative assembly is highly remarkable. He described Patrudu as a warrior and representative of the backward Classes (BCs).

Chandrababu said: "When TD founder late N.T. Rama Rao gave a call that youth should join politics, a 23-year-old Ayyanna Patrudu entered politics, contested the assembly polls and won the election."

The new Assembly Speaker is a seven-time MLA, who had also served as an MP. He had been a minister for 16 long years. Since the days Telugu Desam has been formed, Ayyanna Patrudu has been the sole leader representing the Narsipatnam constituency.

Addressing the House after being sworn in as the speaker, Ayyanna Patrudu said he has never in his life seen a leader like former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. He went on to describe the YSRC chief as manner-less. He said it would have been good had Jagan Mohan Reddy come to the Assembly in keeping with the traditions of the House.

The first file he signed on the occasion removed the ban on ABN.

Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, apart from ministers Lokesh, Atchannaidu and others recalled their association with Patrudu. They sought more time from the speaker on various issues, as opposition YSRC is quite inactive in the house.