With 22 MP seats, YSR Congress party headed by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is now the fourth largest opposition party in Lok Sabha – only after the Congress, the DMK and the Trinamul Congress.
Of these four parties, the Congress, DMK and Trinamul Congress are the bitter rivals of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and only YSR Congress party is closer to the BJP, though technically it is not part of the National Democratic Alliance.
Naturally, YSRC’s enjoys tremendous clout in Delhi. It can get whatever it wants from Delhi bosses.
Right now, the YSRC is looking for a spacious office for its parliamentary party in parliament, since it has a big number of 23 MPs, besides two Rajya Sabha members.
According to reports that appeared in a section of national media, YSRC is understood to have asked the BJP government to allot the office earlier allotted to the Telugu Desam Party in the previous term.
During 2014-19, the TDP had 17 MPs including two defected MPs, besides five Rajya Sabha members. So, it was given a spacious office for its parliamentary party. Now, the TDP has won just three MPs, so it doesn’t need a big office in parliament.
YSRC wants to occupy the office allotted to the TDP. It is learnt Jagan has already spoken to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi about his desire to acquire the space.
In all probability, the YSRC, which has 22 seats, may get the TDP office located on the ground floor.
As per protocol, it is the Lok Sabha Speaker who allots the offices to political parties on Parliament premises.
Once elected, the Speaker will have to take a call on which party gets which office.