KTR calls Speaker’s ruling on turncoat MLAs ‘murder of democracy’

BRS working president KT Rama Rao launched a scathing attack on the Congress and Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar after disqualification petitions against five BRS MLAs were dismissed. Calling the decision a "murder of democracy," he accused the Congress of shielding defectors to avoid by-elections amid growing anti-incumbency.

Hyderabad: Terming Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar‘s decision to dismiss disqualification petitions against five BRS MLAs a murder of democracy in broad daylight, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao said the protection of the defectors despite their public admissions of switching for ‘development’ exemplified the Congress’s attitude.

He accused the Congress of delaying action on disqualification due to fear of by-elections, amid growing public backlash against Revanth Reddy’s government, particularly evident during recent panchayat polls.

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Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar rejected the petitions filed by BRS, citing insufficient evidence to prove that the MLAs — Tellam Venkat Rao (Bhadrachalam), Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy (Gadwal), T. Prakash Goud (Rajendranagar), Gudem Mahipal Reddy (Patancheru), and Arekapudi Gandhi (Serilingampally) — had formally joined the Congress. The Speaker ruled that the anti-defection law does not apply and that the MLAs technically remain affiliated with BRS.

Reacting strongly to the verdict, Rama Rao alleged that the Congress party, under the influence of Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, has shown no respect for the Constitution or the highest judicial institutions.

“Today, in the presence of the Assembly, the Congress party has completely assassinated democracy,” he said.

Rama Rao slammed Rahul Gandhi for carrying a copy of the Constitution for photo opportunities while failing to honour the anti-defection law introduced by his own father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

“Rahul Gandhi will go down in history as an incapable leader who cannot even respect the anti-defection law brought by his own father,” he remarked.

“The Congress is terrified of by-elections because Revanth Reddy’s two-year rule has been marked by failures, leading to widespread anti-incumbency in villages,” Rama Rao charged. From the day Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy personally visited BRS MLAs’ homes to induce defections until today’s Speaker’s decision, the Congress has consistently mocked the Constitution.

He expressed surprise that the Speaker bowed to Congress pressure, ignoring Supreme Court judgments and the spirit of the anti-defection law.

“The Speaker’s decision is contrary to democratic principles and the Constitution,” he asserted, stating that the BRS strongly opposes it.

The Congress may temporarily celebrate shielding the defectors on technical grounds, but the people in the respective constituencies have already deemed them “disqualified” in the court of public opinion, he charged.