KCR, KTR, Komatireddy, Uttam, BJP MLAs, a few others skip taking oath on first day of Assembly

HYDERABAD: The first session of the Third Telangana Assembly began with as many as 104 newly-elected MLAs taking oath on Saturday.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was the first to take oath, followed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.

AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi presided over the proceedings as the protem Speaker. Ahead of the session, Owaisi was administered the oath by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan as the protem Speaker at Raj Bhavan.

From the Congress, Huzurnagar MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy and Nalgonda MLA Komatireddy Venkat Reddy didn't take oath as they're yet to submit their resignations as Nalgonda and Bhuvanagiri MPs.

BRS president and Gajwel MLA K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) was absent due to ongoing treatment for hip bone fracture which he suffered a couple of days ago.

His son and BRS working president KT Rama Rao, along with around 15 others, deferred their oath-taking to a later date.

"Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the BRS Legislature meeting today and the swearing in at the Legislative Assembly because of my father’s medical condition. Have sought another date from the Assembly Secretary for taking the oath along with 4-5 other MLAs who have also not been able to attend today," KTR tweeted.

Others in the party who did not take oath are Kadiyam Srihari, Padi Kaushik Reddy and Palla Rajeshwar Reddy as their resignation as BRS MLCs was approved later in the day.

All the eight BJP MLAs decided to boycott the oath taking event, alleging violations in the appointment of Akbaruddin Owaisi as protem Speaker.

"There is a tradition of a senior person being appointed as the protem Speaker in the Assembly. The BJP opposes the appointment of AIMIM's Akbaruddin Owaisi as protem Speaker as per an understanding (of Congress) with AIMIM," Telangana BJP president Kishan Reddy said.

A notification for election of Speaker of the new Legislative Assembly is expected on Tuesday with Wednesday being the last date for aspiring candidates to submit their papers. Congress member Gaddam Prasad Kumar is likely to be elected unopposed as the ruling party's choice for the post.

Following the Speaker's election, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan will deliver the traditional address to the joint session of the Legislature on December 16. This would be followed by discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address the next day following which the session would be adjourned.