Speaker Dismisses Petitions Against Seven BRS MLAs
In a significant political turn, Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar has dismissed the disqualification petitions against seven legislators. These members were originally elected under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) banner but were accused of shifting their loyalties to the ruling Congress party. The Speaker’s ruling provides a major legal cushion for the government just as the state enters a crucial administrative phase.
The Speaker clarified that the petitions were dismissed due to a lack of sufficient evidence. He noted that the petitioners failed to prove that the MLAs had formally defected under the rules of the Tenth Schedule. Technically, these seven legislators will continue to be recognized as members of the BRS in the Assembly records, despite their public association with the Congress party.
The MLAs cleared in this latest round include Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Kale Yadaiah. They join five others—Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, T. Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, and Arekapudi Gandhi—who received similar clearances last month. The legislators argued that their meetings with the Chief Minister were strictly for securing development funds for their respective constituencies.
However, the political battle is far from over. Disqualification proceedings are still pending or reserved for three other prominent names: Kadiyam Srihari, Danam Nagender, and M. Sanjay Kumar. The BRS leadership has reacted with sharp criticism, claiming the decision undermines the spirit of the Constitution. They have vowed to continue their fight in the higher courts to protect the people’s mandate.
The timing of this announcement is noteworthy, as it comes right before a scheduled hearing in the Supreme Court. The top court had previously expressed concern over the delays in deciding these cases. For now, the ruling Congress maintains a comfortable position in the house, while the opposition prepares for a long legal and political struggle to hold the defecting members accountable.
