The YSR Congress Party has criticised the ruling Telugu Desam Party for adopting a vindictive attitude against the main opposition as was evident from the removal of the portrait of former Chief Minister late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy from the Assembly lobbies.
The MLAs and senior leaders of the YSRC staged a dharna in front of the AP Legislature Secretary’s office on the Assembly premises on Friday in protest against the removal of the portrait. The YSRC leaders said that the portrait was installed in the Assembly lobbies by the then Government headed by K. Rosaiah after obtaining the consent from the members.
They contended that the officials concerned removed the portrait on the instructions from the ruling party leaders and said such moves would not send proper signals. They wanted Legislature secretary K. Satyanarayana Rao to ensure that the portrait was put in place with immediate effect.
YSR Congress MLA G. Srikanth Reddy said that the portrait of the late Chief Minister was removed on the pretext that there was some problem with its frame. On verification, however, it was found that there were no damages to the portrait. “This clearly shows the ruling party’s vindictive attitude towards the main Opposition,” he said adding they wanted to meet Speaker K. Sivaprasada Rao and submit a representation to him, but the Speaker was not available.
The agitated members called off their protest after the legislature secretary assured them that he would take the matter to the notice of the Speaker at the earliest and resolve the issue.
