The leader of the opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the official leader of the principal opposition party in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. The leader of opposition is given rank of cabinet minister and is entitled to draw monthly salary and other perks of the same rank.
History
The Andhra State, a precursor to the modern state of Andhra Pradesh, was established on 1 November 1956 following the Andhra movement. The formation of Andhra State was made possible by the Andhra State Act, which was passed in the Parliament of India in September 1953. This significant development was ignited by a determined fast led by Potti Sreeramulu, whose sacrifice ultimately catalyzed the demand for a new linguistic state.
The newly created Andhra State included 11 districts in the Telugu-speaking region of the Madras State, with Kurnool as its capital and a unicameral parliamentary system with a Legislative Assembly chamber.
The Andhra Pradesh, colloquially referred to as United Andhra Pradesh, was officially established on 1 November 1956, through the enactment of the States Reorganisation Act in August 1956. This led to the dissolution of Hyderabad State, with its divisions becoming part of Mysore State and Bombay State. Concurrently, the integration of Telugu-speaking regions into Andhra State laid the foundation for the vibrant state of Andhra Pradesh with a bicameral parliamentary system consisting of Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly chambers.
Originally situated in Hyderabad, the capital later moved to Amaravati in 2017 following the implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, which led to the formation of Telangana on 2 June 2014 and a reduction in the assembly constituencies from 294 to 175. Despite these significant boundary changes, the state continued to be recognised as Andhra Pradesh.
After the state reorganisation in 2014, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSR Congress party became the first leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly followed by N. Chandrababu Naidu of Telugu Desam Party from 2019 to 2024.
N. Chandrababu Naidu is the longest serving leader of opposition. He served as leader of opposition from 2004 to 2014, making him the last leader of opposition before the state bifurcation.
Eligibility Official opposition is a term used in Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly to designate the political party which has secured the second largest number of seats in the assembly. In order to get formal recognition, the party must have at least 25 of the total membership of the Legislative Assembly. A single party has to meet the 10% seat criterion, not an alliance. Many of the Indian state legislatures also follow this 10% rule while the rest of them prefer single largest opposition party according to the rules of their respective houses. But according to section 12B of payment of salaries, allowances, prevention of disqualification of MLAs in AP legislative assembly act, 10% of MLA's not required to be recognised as Leader of opposition or official opposition party. The opposition party having a greater number of MLA's is recognised as official opposition or principal opposition party and the MLA's elect their leader is Leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly.
Role The opposition's main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. The opposition is equally responsible in upholding the best interests of the people of the country. They have to ensure that the Government does not take any steps, which might have negative effects on the people of the country.
The role of the opposition in legislature is basically to check the excesses of the ruling or dominant party, and not to be totally antagonistic. There are actions of the ruling party which may be beneficial to the masses and opposition is expected to support such steps.
In legislature, opposition party has a major role and must act to discourage the party in power from acting against the interests of the country and the common man. They are expected to alert the population and the Government on the content of any bill, which is not in the best interests of the country.
List of leaders of the opposition Since 1956 Source:
Until the Sixth Legislative Assembly no political party was recognized as an Official Opposition Party. In the Sixth Legislative Assembly the Janata Party was recognized as Opposition Party Officially as it has got Sixty (60) Members. As per the Rules of the House, an Opposition Party should get minimum seats of ‘one-tenth' of the total strength of the Assembly for its Official recognition.
(*) These leaders have been recognized officially as Leaders of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly
#PortraitLeader of the oppositionTerm of the officeElectionPartyChief MinisterAppointed by(Speaker)Term startTerm endDuration1Puchalapalli Sundarayya195619571 year1955Communist Party of IndiaNeelam Sanjiva ReddyAyyadevara Kaleswara Rao195719625 years1957Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Damodaram Sanjivayya2Tarimela Nagi Reddy196219642 years1962Neelam Sanjiva ReddyB. V. Subba Reddy3Pillalamarri Venkateswarlu196419673 yearsKasu Brahmananda Reddy4Gouthu Latchanna196719692 years1967Swatantra Party5Nukala Ramachandra Reddy196919712 yearsTelangana United Front6Vemulapalli Srikrishna1972 19775 years1972Communist Party of IndiaPamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao
Jalagam Vengala RaoPidatala Ranga Reddy7Erasu Ayyapu Reddy197719781 yearJalagam Vengala Rao(4)*Gouthu Latchanna31 March 197819802 years1978Janata PartyMarri Chenna Reddy
T. Anjaiah
Bhavanam Venkatarami Reddy
Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara ReddyDivi Kondaiah Chowdary8*Ananthula Madan Mohan19 January 198323 November 19841983Indian National CongressNandamuri Taraka Rama Rao
Nadendla Bhaskara Rao
Nandamuri Taraka Rama RaoTangi Satyanarayana9*Mogaligundla Baga Reddy14 March 198528 November 19891985Nandamuri Taraka Rama RaoG. Narayana Rao10*Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao5 January 199010 December 19941989Telugu Desam PartyMarri Chenna Reddy
Nedurumalli Janardhana Reddy
Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara ReddyP. Ramachandra Reddy11Paripati Janardhan Reddy24 March 19959 October 19991994Indian National CongressNandamuri Taraka Rama Rao
Nara Chandrababu NaiduYanamala Rama Krishnudu12*Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy12 November 199914 November 20031999Nara Chandrababu NaiduK. Prathibha Bharathi13*Nara Chandrababu Naidu2 June 200419 May 20092004Telugu Desam PartyYeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara ReddyK. R. Suresh Reddy19 May 200928 April 20142009Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy, Konijeti Rosaiah, Nallari Kiran Kumar ReddyKiran Kumar Reddy, Nadendla Manohar 14*Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy20 June 201423 May 20192014YSR Congress PartyNara Chandrababu NaiduKodela Siva Prasada Rao(13)*Nara Chandrababu Naidu13 June 20195 June 20242019Telugu Desam PartyYeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan ReddyThammineni Seetharam 2024Nara Chandrababu NaiduChintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu
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