Maiden session of new TS Assembly from Thursday

​Hyderabad:  The maiden session of the newly elected State Assembly will begin on Thursday.  To convene the session pending election of the Assembly Speaker, seniormost legislator, Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, belonging to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), took oath as pro tem Speaker at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.  Governor ESL Narasimhan administered the oath of office in the presence of the Chief Minister and key government officials here.  

On the first day of the four-day session, the pro tem speaker will administer oaths to all newly elected MLAs and issue a notification on Thursday. The election of the Speaker will be held on Friday.  Thereafter, the Speaker will conduct the BAC (Business Advisory Committee) meeting and take a decision on the Governor’s address the following day. As per schedule, the Governor will address a joint session of the Telangana Assembly and the Legislative Council on January 19 (Saturday).  On Sunday, the House will introduce a motion of thanks to the Governor’s address and adopt the same.

Before going to the assembly session, which would begin at 11.05 am, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, accompanied by his party leaders, will pay floral tributes at the Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial in front of the assembly premises. Speculations are rife in political circles that the names of senior leaders viz. E Rajendar, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy,  Redya Naik , A Indrakaran Reddy and former Deputy Speaker  Padma Devendar Reddy have been shortlisted for the post of Speaker.  The Chief Minister will take a call on the candidature of the Speaker after the newly elected MLAs take oath.
 
The Chief Minister’s Office has given indications that KCR is planning to induct eight ministers into his cabinet this week. According to one source, the new ministers are likely to be sworn in on January 18 (Friday) after the Speaker’s election.  Others say that the new cabinet will be formed only after the five-day Maharudra Sahitha Sahasra Chandiyagam being organised by the Chief Minister at his farmhouse in Erravelli village from January 21. 

Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements, including stringent security measures, have been made at the assembly premises for smooth conduct of the session. Certain traffic restrictions will be imposed during the session to ensure smooth passage of VIP movement around the assembly and the Secretariat areas.