“Congress MLA Gaddam Prasad Kumar Assumes Speakership Amidst Controversy in Telangana Assembly”
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 14: In a development marked by political discord, Congress MLA Gaddam Prasad Kumar assumed office as the Speaker of the Telangana Assembly on Thursday. The move came after a contentious row over the pro-tem Speaker, which saw the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, BJP, AIMIM, and Left supporting the candidature of the Congress MLA, ultimately resulting in his unanimous election.
The controversy arose when BJP MLAs refused to take the oath under pro-tem Speaker Akbaruddin Owaisi, brother of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. In response, they submitted a representation to the Governor, expressing their objections. Subsequently, Gaddam Prasad Kumar was elected as the new Speaker with broad support from various political factions.
Addressing reporters outside the Assembly, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed gratitude for the unanimous election of Gaddam Prasad Kumar. He highlighted the endorsement from the BRS, CPI, and AIMIM, and noted that the BJP also supported the Congress MLA’s candidature.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu assumed office at the state secretariat in Hyderabad on the same day.
Gaddam Prasad Kumar, a Congress MLA from Vikarabad, filed his nomination for the Speaker’s post on Wednesday, setting the stage for the political developments that unfolded on Thursday.
The controversy began when Akbaruddin Owaisi, as the pro-tem Speaker, administered the oath of office to newly elected MLAs on December 9. However, all eight BJP MLAs refused to take the oath under him, alleging a violation of rules in his appointment.
In the recently concluded assembly polls, the Congress secured 64 seats, with its ally CPI winning one seat. The BRS, BJP, and AIMIM secured 39, eight, and seven seats, respectively.
Gaddam Prasad Kumar, a seasoned politician, contested the Assembly polls for the first time in 2009 and won the Vikarabad Assembly constituency. He has previously served as the minister for Handlooms and Textiles in the undivided Andhra Pradesh cabinet.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy conducted a comprehensive review of the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project, its expansion plans, and the Airport Metro Project on Thursday. Emphasizing the need for equal development in all directions, the CM underscored Hyderabad’s potential to become a global city with limitless possibilities.
