YS Vijayalakshmi took oath as MLA

HYDERABAD, 11th Feb’10 : Y. S. Vijayalakshmi, widow of former Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy took oath as the Member of Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

Flanked by her son and Kadapa MP Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and senior Congress leaders including APCC chief D. Srinivas, YSR’s close aide K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, the Pulivendula MLA was administered the oath by Speaker N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Ms. Vijayalakshmi’s eyes turned moist as she read the oath as an MLA and fought back tears. A number of Ministers, legislators and leaders of other parties complimented her after she took the oath. She left without speaking to the waiting mediapersons.

The Pulivendula Assembly seat fell vacant after YSR’s death in a helicopter crash in Kurnool district last September. Following a decision by all political parties not to contest the elections, Ms. Vijayalakshmi was elected unopposed to the Assembly in November last.

Later speaking to reporters, AICC secretary P. Sudhakar Reddy said people of the State had full confidence in her that she would continue the good work done by the late Chief Minister, who had endeared to the poor and the downtrodden with his welfare schemes.

Mr. Sudhakar Reddy urged the Union Government to confer Bharat Ratna on late YSR for his contribution to the welfare of the poor and consider issuing a postal stamp in his memory. He said the Pavala Vaddi scheme for thrift groups and the Arogyasri health insurance scheme were path breaking initiatives. Steps should be taken to install YSR’s portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament.

– The Hindu