Does absence of Opposition make Assembly sessions ‘bland’?

Visakhapatnam: Does the absence of Opposition make Assembly sessions bland? Yes, confirmed P Vishnu Kumar Raju, Visakhapatnam North constituency MLA. Assuring that the Assembly Speaker is not going to disconnect his mic as ‘dreamt’ by YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Vishnu Kumar Raju promised that, unlike the YSRCP leaders, the NDA leaders will not insult the former when the party’s elected representatives attend Assembly sessions. Questioning the government during Assembly sessions paves the way for meaningful discussions and critical debates. “There are several issues to be tabled during the sessions such as how Andhra Pradesh is plagued by the 22A land issue. If the elected representatives fail to turn up to the Assembly, people’s votes go down the drain,” asserted Vishnu Kumar Raju on the sidelines of a meeting. Instead of making a big hue and cry over the DSC recruitment irregularities, staging protests and making statements within the four walls of the Tadepalli palace, the Visakhapatnam North constituency MLA suggested the YSRCP cadre advise the party chief and MLAs to attend the Assembly sessions as it is an effective platform to question the government and raise public issues.

Vishnu Kumar Raju appealed to Jagan Mohan Reddy to come out of ‘self-induced illusions’ such as the mic being disconnected while speaking at the Assembly session or the party MLAs being insulted by the ruling party MLAs, step out of the ‘Tadepalli palace,’ and value people’s votes. “If the trend of ‘no show’ continues, people will certainly refrain from voting for the YSRCP in the ensuing local body polls. Because there is absolutely no point in exercising the franchise as public issues will not be raised in the Assembly,” the MLA opined, stressing that someone is misguiding Jagan by painting a wrong picture. Even as the YSRCP MLCs are participating in the council sessions, Vishnu Kumar Raju wondered what is stopping the YSRCP MLAs from attending the Assembly. “The Assembly is deprived of a dash of ‘spice’ as the YSRCP elected representatives stay away from it,” the MLA emphasised.

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Rani Devalla

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Rani Devalla is an experienced journalist specialised in a range of beats. From crime to politics, health to human interest, education to defence along with entertainment and feature stories, Rani Devalla, an accomplished writer with a passion for exploring diverse genres, has been reporting for the past 14 years. Serving as Bureau Chief of The Hans India in Visakhapatnam, Rani Devalla contributes to the organisation's editorial department through daily reporting, special stories and feature stories. After completing B.Com, Rani Devalla pursued Masters in Human Resource Management. Prior to joining The Hans India, Rani Devalla worked as a Principal Correspondent with The Hindu Group for six-and-a-half years. With rich expertise, she brings diverse perspectives to her reporting that makes her narratives stand out. When not immersed in writing, the journalist spends time reading, travelling and journaling.

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