Defection row rocks Assembly as KTR questions Speaker’s ruling

The issue of MLAs defecting from BRS to Congress was raised in the Assembly, with KT Rama Rao expressing dissatisfaction over the Speaker’s ruling and stating the party would approach courts, while the Speaker and Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy responded strongly.

Hyderabad: The issue of defection of MLAs from Bharat Rashtra Samithi to the Congress came up for discussion in the Assembly, with BRS working president KT Rama Rao expressing dissatisfaction over Speaker G Prasad Kumar’s ruling.

During the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s Address on Tuesday, Rama Rao said he had immense respect for the Speaker.

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“In the case regarding one of our MLAs contesting MP elections as a Congress candidate, you had taken a decision. We are not questioning your judicial authority, but in a democracy, it is our responsibility to ask,” Rama Rao said, also stating that the party would approach the High Court and, if necessary, the Supreme Court by filing a review petition against the decision.

“It is the Congress party which introduced the Aaya Ram Gaya Ram culture in the country,” he said.

Responding to the remarks, the Speaker said that in the judicial system, a judge delivers a verdict and questioned how allegations were being made without reading the judgment.

“I will respond only when you read the judgment,” Prasad Kumar said, asking Rama Rao not to pursue the issue further.

Interrupting the discussion, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said BRS leaders were questioning the Speaker’s authority with arrogance and alleged that it was the BRS which had encouraged defections in the past.