HYDERABAD: The first session of the new Telangana state Legislative Assembly will start on Thursday. The four-day session will see the newly-elected MLAs taking oath, election of the Speaker and the Governor’s address for the joint sitting of the Legislature. The Assembly proceedings will commence at 11.30 am on Thursday.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will pay tribute to martyrs at Gun Park at 11 am before taking oath as MLA in the Assembly.
Pro tem Speaker Mumtaz Ahamed Khan, who took oath on Wednesday, will issue a notification for the election of the Speaker on Thursday and filing of nominations will start later in the day.
The election for the Speaker will be held on Friday if necessary.
According to sources close to the CM, former minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy will be Speaker. Two days ago, Mr Rao’s close associate congratulated Mr Srinivas Reddy on being selected. The senior-most MLA from Banswada Assembly constituency in the combined Nizamabad district, Mr Srinivas Reddy was selected as the Speaker to make way for party legislator Vemula Prashant Reddy from Balkonda in the same district to be inducted into the Cabinet.
According to sources, Mr Srinivas Reddy was persuaded to accept the post with the promise of allotting the Banaswada Assembly ticket to his son in the next Assembly elections. His election as Speaker will be unanimous and there are few chances of any MLA filing nominations for the post.
On January 19, Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan will address the joint session of the Assembly and Legislative Council. With Mr Rao’s reply to the discussion on the resolution to thank the Governor for his address, the Assembly will adjourn sine die on January 21.
