HYDERABAD: With Congress Legislature Party (CLP ) strength reduced to six, there will be no Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly in the next five years. As of now, the second largest party in the Assembly is TRS’ friendly party AIMIM, which has seven seats. With no Opposition, the Speaker need not give stipulated time normally given to the Opposition leader during the discussion on Appropriation Bill or on the discussion of the Budget. 

The Speaker may allot time as per the strength of the Congress in the House. With six members in the House, the Congress may not get more than 10 to 20 minutes time during the debates. Even if Congress wins the Huzurnagar seat in the byelection, it will be on par with AIMIM in numbers.

This is the first time that the State Legislative Assembly will have no Opposition in the House.

The Congress also may not get the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman post. The PAC is not constituted for this Assembly so far. However, the Congress MLAs can be continued as members of the PAC along with other members. As there is no Opposition leader in the House, the front seat on the left side of the Speaker may not be allotted to the Congress. The Speaker may allot them same to either the ruling TRS or to the second largest party AIMIM, if seats are rearranged. The ruling TRS has another advantage that it has no Opposition in the Legislative Council too. The Congress has only one member. The TRS has 32 members in the Council and is eyeing three more seats in the byelections to be held soon.