It is unlikely that this status will be granted. As a result, Jagan may remain absent for the rest of the term. Other YSR Congress MLAs are also skipping the Assembly along with him.
When asked about the issue, Jagan gave a layered response. He initially acted indifferent to the possibility of a by-election. But then, he pointed to a legal loophole in his defence.
Jagan stated that his petition regarding Opposition status is still pending in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. If the government pushes for disqualification, he hopes the court proceedings will delay any action.
He also hinted that in 2021, despite Chandrababu Naidu's boycott, his government did not disqualify him. Jagan seemed to expect the same courtesy from Naidu now, though that appears unlikely.
Unlike Naidu, who allowed his MLAs to attend, Jagan is keeping his MLAs out of the House too. Reports suggest some YSR Congress MLAs are quietly signing attendance registers to claim salaries and avoid disqualification.
If the situation leads to disqualification, it remains to be seen how the government will respond, especially towards those MLAs trying to play both sides.
Tags: YS Jagan
Sridhar RaaviSridhar is a highly experienced hand in Telugu politics, writing and analyzing political happenings in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. An IT engineer turned news junkie, Sridhar has a sharp eye for catching news as it unfo…