Visakhapatnam: Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyannapatrudu has taken serious exception to the clamour from some Telugu leaders to make minister Nara Lokesh a deputy CM.As a senior leader in the Telugu Desam party since its inception by NTR, Ayyannapatrudu’s frank response raised widespread discussion in political circles on Monday.Ayyannapatrudu questioned the authority of these TD leaders to make such demands. “Who are they to make such demands? The decisions of this nature should be left to the people,” the Speaker asserted.The speaker made these remarks during the regional investor’s tourism summit in Visakhapatnam, where he was a guest.Notably, the discussions about Lokesh’s proposed elevation as deputy CM intensified in recent days among the alliance leaders, leading to a heated exchange between TD and Jana Sena members.Sensing the overall mood, the TD leadership issued a directive to its members, instructing them to refrain from further comments on the issue. “Decisions regarding leadership roles in government would be made only after discussions within the alliance,” it stated.The Jana Sena also cautioned its leaders against commenting on this matter.Ayyannapatrudu’s bold remarks on Monday reflected the schism within the TD on a major subject. When many leaders seemed reticent, the Speaker sought to halt the ongoing debate within the party.
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