Vijayawada: The Opposition YSR Congress has a point to celebrate today. The party, which is the main Opposition in the AP Assembly, has been recognized as the main Opposition in the Legislative Council too. Its MLC and senior leader Ummareddi Venkateswarlu, is named as the Leader of Opposition in the Council, as the Congress which has been enjoying the recognition lost it on March 30, following the retirement of its members, including C Ramachandraiah, who has been serving as Leader of Opposition.

As the Congress could not make it to the Assembly or win any local body to have its MLCs, the party had lost its Opposition status after the retirement of its sitting members. Following this, the YSR Congress had emerged as the main Opposition party with 9 MLCs on its count. The party also has the support of the three PDF MLCs representing the teachers and graduates constituencies.

The Congress now has one MLC from the Assembly quota, A Lakshmi Sivakumari, who is scheduled to retire on March 29, 2019, four MLCs from the nominated quota, including Council chairman Dr A Chakrapani, who is to retire on May 28, 2017. The Congress would also set to lose two MLCs, Chakrapani and R Reddeppa Reddy in May, K Satyanarayana Raju and T Rathna Bai in February 2020 that would completely seal the presence of the Congress in the Council.

The Congress exit had given elevation to the YSR Congress in the Council with Chairman Chakrapani issuing orders recognising Ummareddi Venkateswarlu as the Leader of Opposition. Ummareddi assumed charge in the Council on Friday morning.