The YSR Congress Party on Wednesday decided to continue its boycott of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly during the upcoming monsoon session.
However, the party said it would effectively use the Legislative Council to raise issues of public importance and highlight what it described as the failures of the TDP-led coalition government.
Addressing party MLAs and MLCs at the YSRCP office in Tadepalli, party president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated that the party would stay away from the Assembly as the government was refusing to recognise him as the Leader of the Opposition.
Jagan alleged that the government was denying the YSRCP the Opposition leader status in an attempt to silence its voice.
He said he would continue raising public issues through regular media conferences and present what he called the other side of the story to the people.
At the same time, Jagan said the YSRCP has sufficient strength in the Legislative Council and would use the platform to act as the voice of the people.
He asked party MLCs to raise alleged irregularities in the Mega DSC-2025 teacher recruitment process.
Jagan said the party had organised 10 different types of protests over the issue during the last 74 days and had presented evidence to support its allegations.
He alleged irregularities including question paper leaks, outsourcing-related issues and problems in sports quota appointments, and demanded a CBI inquiry into the role of Education Minister Nara Lokesh.
The YSRCP chief also asked MLCs to raise issues relating to the implementation of fee reimbursement and Vasathi Deevena schemes.
He said the party would also raise farmers’ concerns over the lack of minimum support prices for crops and the suspension of the free crop insurance scheme.
The YSRCP further decided to take up issues including the new public-private partnership policy, repeal of the Disha Bill, alleged targeting of OBC leaders of the party, the junior doctors’ strike and dissatisfaction among government employees.
Meanwhile, Jagan announced MLC Thumati Madhava Rao as the party’s candidate for the vacant post of Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council.
