With the YSR Congress Party, which has 11 MLAs, continuing to boycott assembly proceedings, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition has been functioning virtually without an opposition.
In this vacuum, some coalition MLAs have taken it upon themselves to play the role of the opposition — often by criticising their own ministers.
TDP legislators have been targeting Jana Sena Party (JSP) ministers, while a few JSP MLAs have openly criticised TDP ministers.
This trend has reportedly angered Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is said to have expressed strong displeasure at the way the sessions have been conducted.
While he acknowledged that ruling party MLAs raising public issues in the absence of a strong opposition was acceptable, he felt that a few legislators had crossed the line by pursuing personal agendas and making harsh remarks against their own government.
During Thursday’s session, Srikalahasti MLA Bojjala Sudheer Reddy quipped that despite submitting multiple representations to the CM, IT Minister Nara Lokesh, and the Home Minister for an employee transfer, “his letterheads got exhausted but the transfer never happened.”
Naidu reportedly found this remark highly objectionable and rebuked Sudheer Reddy even in the lobbies.
The CM was also upset with comments made by retired IAS officer and Prathipadu MLA Burla Ramanjaneyulu, who suggested that people posting on social media should be “kicked.”
Naidu questioned how a former bureaucrat could make such remarks, while Home Minister Anitha objected inside the House, reminding him that as a senior officer he should know the law.
Similarly, Achanta MLA Pitani Satyanarayana criticised the Home Department’s handling of social media while Naidu was present in the House.
The CM questioned why even senior leaders were directly targeting ministers.
He was also said to be displeased with the heated exchange between Kakinada MLA Kamineni Srinivas and Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna, stressing that such incidents should never have happened.
On Friday, TDP MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao made allegations against the PCB chairman and faulted Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan for not taking action.
Naidu reportedly disapproved of this too, warning that it was inappropriate to single out individuals and ministers.
Naidu is said to have pulled up Legislative Affairs Minister Payyavula Keshav for not monitoring what MLAs were saying and failing to regulate the questions raised in the House. He also admonished the chief whip and other whips for allowing the situation to slip out of control.
The CM reminded legislators that as the ruling party, they must show restraint and differentiate themselves from the opposition.
He cautioned that if they too resorted to personal attacks and undemocratic practices, there would be no distinction between the TDP-led coalition and the YSRCP.
He urged them to adhere to law, justice, and procedure, citing senior MLA Buchaiah Chowdary as an example of one who raises issues responsibly without targeting individuals.
