Seven-time MLA Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu was today unanimously elected as the Speaker of the third Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh.
Patrudu's name was announced by pro-tem Speaker Butchaiah Chowdary. Later, Patrudu assumed the chair of Speaker.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and BJP leaders escorted him to the Speaker's seat with respect. YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy stayed away from the event.
Patrudu was elected as MLA for the Narsipatnam Assembly constituency in Anakapalli district. He has more than four decades of political experience.
Patrudu entered politics in 1983 with the emergence of the Telugu Desam Party. Since then, he has supported the party in every possible way. A graduate, he has contested 10 Assembly and two Lok Sabha elections, and has been an MLA seven times, a minister five times, and an MP once. He held key portfolios such as technical education, sports, roads, buildings, forests and panchayati raj.