BRS urges disqualification of 10 defected MLAs to Congress party
text_fields
Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has urged Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar to instrument the disqualification of all 10 BRS MLAs who defected to the ruling Congress party.
A delegation of BRS leaders, led by party working president K.T. Rama Rao, met the Speaker and presented a memorandum demanding the disqualification of the turncoat MLAs under the Anti-Defection Act.
Rama Rao, speaking to the media after the meeting, stated that since the party had already petitioned the Speaker for the disqualification of D. Nagender, they were now demanding the disqualification of the remaining nine MLAs.
The BRS delegation insisted that the Speaker immediately make a decision on their disqualification petition. "We hope that the Speaker will take a decision soon on the disqualification of defected MLAs. If he fails to take a decision, we will approach the Supreme Court," he said.
The BRS leaders informed the Speaker that, according to a Supreme Court judgment, the Speaker must decide on disqualification within three months. They also referenced a case in Manipur, where a Congress MLA was disqualified for defection in line with the Supreme Court order.
The opposition leaders emphasized that failure to follow the Supreme Court's directive would bring disrepute to the Speaker's position.
K.T. Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his contradictory stance, noting that while Gandhi poses with the Constitution in Delhi claiming to protect it, the Congress party is disregarding it in Telangana. He highlighted the irony of Gandhi's outcry over defections in other states while encouraging them in Telangana.
KTR also mentioned that the Congress party's election manifesto promised legislation for the automatic disqualification of legislators defecting to other parties. He further informed the Speaker about Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's allegation that the BJP is attempting to buy Congress MLAs for Rs. 50 crore each, questioning how many crores might be changing hands in Telangana for the purchase of BRS MLAs.
Additionally, the Speaker was reminded that Rahul Gandhi had administered an oath to Congress candidates in Goa to prevent them from defecting to another party.
Source- IANS