Telangana Legislative Assembly to meet for oath taking ceremony

The newly-elected Telangana Legislative Assembly would meet from Thursday for the members to take an oath, to elect the Speaker and also take up the Governor's address to the joint session of the legislature. The Governor ESL Narasimhan had issued a notification on January 7 summoning the assembly to meet for its session at 11.30 AM on January 17. Senior AIMIM MLA from Charminar assembly constituency Mumtaz Ahmed Khan has been appointed as the pro tem Speaker, before whom the newly-elected members would take an oath.

The assembly proceedings would be held for four days from January 17 to 20, a press release from the Chief Minister's office said. The newly-elected MLAs would take oath after the House meets at 11.30 AM Thursday. In the afternoon of January 17, an official lunch would be hosted for the MLAs on the lawns of Legislative Council Hall, the release said. The schedule for the Speaker's election would be announced on January 17 and the nomination process would commence, it said.

The names of several TRS leaders, including Padma Devender Reddy (deputy speaker of the previous assembly), Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy, E Rajender and A Indrakaran Reddy (all ministers during the previous term of TRS) are doing the rounds for the Speaker's post. S Madhusudanachary, who was the Speaker during the previous assembly, lost the December 7 assembly polls. The Speaker's election and an announcement about it would take place on January 18, the release said. Later, the Assembly proceedings would continue with the newly-elected Speaker in the Chair.

"The Speaker will conduct the Business Advisory Committee meeting after the House is adjourned and will take a decision on the Governor's address the following day," it said. On January 19, the Governor would address the joint session of legislature. The next day (January 20), the House would introduce the motion of thanks to the Governor's address and adopt the same, the release said.

BJP MLA-elect T Raja Singh had said he did not want to take the oath in Khan's presence as the AIMIM "speaks against Hindus and its leaders do not sing Vande Mataram' or say Bharat Mata Ki Jai". He, however, said he would take oath after the regular Speaker takes over proceedings of the new Assembly. The party position in the 120-member Assembly is TRS-88, INC-19, AIMIM-7, TDP-2, Independent-1, AIFB-1, BJP-1 and Nominated-1. The AIMIM is a friendly party of the ruling TRS. The independent member and the MLA of All India Forward Bloc has extended support to TRS. The 19-member Congress is expected to elect its leader in the assembly who would be the opposition leader.

(With inputs from agencies.)