Andhra Pradesh's Assembly saw an action-packed session today, marked by a brief yet intense protest from YS Jagan and his YCP MLAs. After a year of absence, the opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy made a quick entry into the Assembly, along with his party members. They began their appearance by singing the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, before immediately raising slogans during the Governor's speech.
The slogans, such as "Law and order must be saved," were aimed at drawing attention to their demands. These protests were perceived as a form of disrespect towards Governor Abdul Nazeer, who was addressing the House. The disruption came just before the Assembly session officially began, leading to YCP MLAs exiting the premises shortly after their entrance.
During the brief period, Jagan held a placard, smiling as it read: “They don’t give the opposition status. And they don’t let us question the law and order situation in the state.” This move, however, was seen by many as part of a pre-planned strategy rather than a genuine attempt to debate the issues at hand.
The session also saw the presence of TDP, Jana Sena, and BJP members, but the scene was fleeting. While the other party members urged respect for the Governor’s address, YCP MLAs remained defiant and walked out of the Assembly after less than 10 minutes inside. They cited concerns about issues like the alleged adulteration of ghee in laddus and the problems with medical colleges under the PPP model as reasons for their protest. Outside the Assembly, Jagan and his team were seen holding placards, reiterating their demand for official opposition status and accusing the government of silencing them on public matters.
In a major development, Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu introduced a digital attendance system in the Assembly for the first time in history. The manual attendance register has been replaced by a facial recognition-based system, meaning that attendance will only be counted if a member is physically present and seated inside the Assembly. This system aims to ensure greater accountability and transparency in the Assembly’s functioning.
Despite the protests, Jagan and his party marked their presence but chose to protest rather than engage in a constructive debate. The developments highlighted that while their attendance was noted, their brief and protest-filled stay in the House emphasized the ongoing political tensions surrounding opposition recognition in the state.
