Speaker clears yet another MLA from defection charges for ‘lack of evidence’

Speaker Gaddam Prasad dismissed the disqualification petition against Jagtial MLA Sanjay, citing lack of evidence, taking the number of MLAs cleared in the defection cases to eight, even as hearings continue against the remaining legislators

Hyderabad: Despite several videos of turncoat MLAs participating in Congress party programmes and Congress leaders themselves raising their voice against the turncoats being given party tickets and prominence, yet another MLA was cleared of defection charges, with Speaker Gaddam Prasad dismissing the disqualification petition against Jagtial MLA Sanjay, that too, citing ‘lack of sufficient evidence’ to establish that he had defected from the BRS to the ruling Congress. So far, eight of 10 MLAs have been cleared of defection charges, all citing lack of evidence.

The BRS had earlier petitioned the Speaker seeking disqualification of 10 MLAs for switching over to the ruling Congress. Alleging delay in the proceedings, the party moved the Supreme Court, which subsequently directed the Speaker to expedite the inquiry and arrive at a conclusion at the earliest. The government was directed to submit a status report in the Supreme Court next week.

---

As part of the continuing hearings, Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari, who was elected on a BRS ticket and later joined the Congress, has been summoned to appear before the Speaker at the Assembly on Wednesday. The notice was issued following a disqualification petition filed by BRS MLA KP Vivekanand.

While Srihari had already submitted a petition declaring that he did not defect, the Speaker heard the arguments of BRS MLA Vivekanand at the Speaker’s chambers on Wednesday. The matter has been posted for February 19.

Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender was recently questioned, and further proceedings have been posted to February 18, following a request from one of the petitioners, BJP floor leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, citing municipal elections.