Telangana Assembly session to begin from February 3 with Governor's address

The Telangana Assembly Session is all set to start from Friday with Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan's address in the joint session (Assembly and Council) on the first day.

Sources said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao government has already provided a speech copy to the Governor. "Letters have been set to all MLAs and MLCs regarding the joint session and Governor's speech. The duration of the session will be decided in the Business Advisory Committee meeting after the Governor's speech," sources told PTI.

The government likely to table the State Budget next week. The Governor has already issued a notification summoning the Assembly session beginning from February 3, ending speculation on whether there would be her speech or not in the session. After the patch-up with the Raj Bhavan, the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government on January 30 evening approached Soundararajan requesting her to give assent to the Budget document and address the session for which she agreed. A row broke out last year when the Governor's customary address to the Assembly did not take place.

Soundararajan, who assumed the office of Governor in 2019, has been complaining of the state government not following protocol with regard to her office for more than a year. She has pointed out about officials not turning up as per protocol during her visits to districts, even as she maintained that it is not about her as an individual and that the office of the Governor should be respected.

The ruling BRS leaders denied the government disrespecting her. The differences between the BRS government and Raj Bhavan came to the fore once again on January 26 with KCR staying away from the Republic Day celebrations held at the Raj Bhavan here. In a dramatic turn of events, the Telangana government on January 30 moved a Lunch Motion before the Telangana High Court seeking a direction to the Governor to approve the file pertaining to budget presentation.

However, following an advice from the Court, advocates of the state government and the Raj Bhavan held discussions and informed the court that they both came to an understanding and hence the court can dispose of the petition. During the discussions, it was agreed that there will an address by the Governor during the Budget Session and the speech copy would be furnished by the State government.

Earlier that day, the government knocked the door of the High Court stating that the State government was yet to receive the Governor's approval to the budget to be presented in the Assembly Session beginning Friday. The court expressed its opinion that the both the constitutional functionaries should resolve amicably and come to an understanding. As per the discussions, there will be a Governor's Budget Speech this time, Advocate General BS Prasad had said.