‘No proof of defection from BRS’: Telangana Speaker rejects disqualification pleas against 5 MLAs

Hyderabad: Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Wednesday delivered his verdict on the disqualification petitions filed against several MLAs, dismissing the pleas against five legislators after ruling that there was no evidence to prove that they had defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

No proof of party switch

In his order, the Speaker stated that the petitioners failed to produce material evidence to establish that the MLAs had changed their party allegiance.

He held that there were no valid grounds to invoke anti-defection provisions and clarified that, technically, the five MLAs continue to be members of the BRS.

Petitions against five MLAs dismissed

The disqualification petitions filed against Tellam Venkata Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, Prakash Goud and Arekapudi Gandhi were accordingly dismissed.

Status of disqualification cases

Disqualification petitions were filed against a total of 10 MLAs. Of these, hearings have been completed in eight cases. However, proceedings in the cases relating to Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari are yet to be concluded.

Supreme Court hearing on December 19

The BRS has approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Speaker to expeditiously decide the disqualification petitions. The matter is scheduled to come up for further hearing before the apex court on December 19.

More orders awaited

While the Speaker pronounced his decision on five petitions on Tuesday, orders in the cases relating to Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Kale Yadaiah and Sanjay Kumar are expected to be delivered on Thursday.

With this ruling, the five MLAs retain their Assembly membership, while the political focus now shifts to the remaining disqualification petitions.

Hearings completed in eight cases

The Speaker has already completed hearings on the disqualification petitions involving eight MLAs who were accused of defecting from the BRS to the Congress.

Besides the five MLAs against whom orders were pronounced on Wednesday, hearings were also completed in the cases of Kale Yadaiah, Sanjay Kumar and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, with orders reserved.

Notices to two MLAs

Two other MLAs, Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari, sought additional time to respond to the notices issued by the Speaker. This was the third round of notices sent to them after they failed to respond earlier.

What is the dispute about?

The BRS had filed petitions seeking the disqualification of 10 MLAs who were elected on its ticket in the 2023 Assembly elections but allegedly switched loyalties to the Congress in 2024.

The party contended that the MLAs openly aligned with the ruling party and occupied treasury benches in the Assembly. The MLAs, however, denied joining the Congress, maintaining that their interactions with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy were limited to seeking development funds for their constituencies.

Specific allegations by BRS

The BRS informed the Speaker that Danam Nagender contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Secunderabad on a Congress ticket, while Kadiyam Srihari allegedly campaigned for his daughter, Kadiyam Kaviya, who contested the Warangal Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate.

Supreme Court’s intervention

On November 17, the Supreme Court issued a contempt notice to the Telangana Assembly Speaker for failing to comply with its directive to decide the disqualification pleas against the 10 MLAs within a stipulated time.

Earlier, on July 31, a bench headed by then Chief Justice BR Gavai had directed the Speaker to decide the matter within three months, terming non-compliance with its orders as “the grossest kind of contempt.”

With Wednesday’s decision, the five MLAs retain their Assembly membership, while orders in the remaining cases are awaited.