The newly-elected Telangana assembly will convene for the first time on January 17 – over a month after the election results were announced on December 11. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao or KCR — known for his firm belief in astrology — has chosen the ‘Ekadasi’ day during the auspicious uttarayana days for the first assembly session.

The Legislative Assembly will commence session at 11:30 am and will continue for four days, till January 20.

Mumtaz Ahmed Khan of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen or AIMIM will be administered oath as Pro-term Speaker on Dasami, which falls on January 16. Governor ESL Narasimhan will administer the oath to Mr Khan, who represents Charminar constituency, at 5.00 PM.

On January 17, the newly elected legislators will take oath one after another and the programme is likely to continue for about two hours, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office. The oath ceremony will be followed by an official lunch hosted for the MLAs in the lawns of Council Hall in the Jubilee hall premises.

The Speaker of the Assembly will be elected on January 18. The Leader of the House and Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao, Leader of the Opposition and floor leaders of other political parties will escort the Newly Elected Speaker to the Chair.

Later the Assembly proceedings will continue with the newly elected Speaker in the Chair. The Speaker will conduct the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting after the House is adjourned and will take a decision on the Governors Address on the following day.  

The next day the House will introduce motion of thanks to the Governor’s address and adopt the same.

The Opposition Congress has been slamming KCR over the “delay” in the process of newly-elected members of the assembly taking oath as MLAs.

Elections to the 119-member Assembly were held on December 7 and results declared on December 11. The TRS returned to power for the second consecutive term, winning 88 seats, pushing the main opposition Congress to a distant second position with 19 seats.

Mr Rao was sworn in as Chief Minister on December 13. 

Member of the Legislative Council, Mohammed Mehmood Ali was the only Minister to take oath. He was allocated the Home portfolio.