AP budget session of the Assembly started at Velagapudi on Monday. Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan addressed the joint session of both the Assembly and the Council.
TDP members, who attended despite their chief Chandrababu Naidu, boycotted the session, raised slogans against the Governor saying “Governor Go Back”. They alleged that the Governor did not take any step to protect the constitutional institutions in the state which were being damaged by the YSR Congress government.
The Houses adjourned for the day after the Governor’s Speech. They would meet tomorrow to pay homage to Minister Mekapati Gowtham Reddy who died recently.
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Assembly met soon after the session was adjourned. Speaker Thammineni Sitharam, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Legislative Affairs Minister Buggana Rajendranath, chief whip G Srikanth Reddy attended the meeting from the Government side, while TDP deputy floor leader K Atchannaidu attended the meeting on behalf of Chandrababu Naidu.
The meeting had decided to hold the budget session till March 25. The Assembly would hold discussion on thanking the Governor for his address. The two Houses would discuss it for two days. Then Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath would present the budget on March 11.
Meanwhile, at the BAC meeting, it is said that the chief minister had criticised TDP leader Atchannaidu for disturbing the Governor’s speech. Atchannaidu told the media that the chief minister raised objections over the TDP raising slogans without considering the age of the Governor. He wondered whether the ruling YSR Congress considers the age of Chandrababu Naidu and respects him and wanted to know if Jagan Mohan Reddy would respect the Opposition leader for his age and experience.