(Image source from: Twitter.com/aimim_national)

Telangana's BJP has chosen to abstain from the oath ceremony for the newly elected MLAs due to their objections regarding the appointment of AIMIM's Akbaruddin Owaisi as the Protem Speaker of the state assembly. The Protem Speaker's responsibility is to administer the oath to the recently elected legislators.

T Raja Singh, a BJP MLA who emerged victorious in the Goshamahal constituency during the assembly elections last month, conveyed his refusal to take the oath "as long as he is alive" in the presence of AIMIM. Singh emphasized that he would only take the oath once a full-term speaker is selected.

He questioned, "Am I expected to take the oath in front of an individual (Akbaruddin Owaisi) who has previously made anti-Hindu remarks?"

During the recent elections, the BJP secured eight seats. G Kishan Reddy, the state unit chief of the party, expressed the BJP's opposition to Owaisi's appointment, as it goes against the tradition of appointing experienced MLAs as the Protem Speaker.

"BJP MLAs will refrain from taking the oath before this Protem Speaker. Our MLAs will take the oath once a Speaker is appointed. We will never form an alliance with a party like AIMIM. We will address this matter with the Governor," he informed the press.

The individual chosen for the position was also a member of the AIMIM political party. It was anticipated that Mr. Owaisi would be sworn in as the Protem Speaker on Saturday and subsequently administer the oath to the elected MLAs on the same day. Mr. Singh claimed that the newly appointed Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy from the Congress party, is fearful of the AIMIM, just like his predecessor K Chandrashekar Rao, and therefore permitted Mr. Owaisi to assume the role of Protem Speaker.