KTR criticises Speaker’s verdict in defection case, calls it an attack on democracy

BRS working president KT Rama Rao criticised Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar for rejecting disqualification petitions against MLAs Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari, calling it an attack on democracy and warning the decision could encourage political defections

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao strongly criticised Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar for dismissing the disqualification petitions against MLAs Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari, calling the decision an open attack on democracy. He responded to the Speaker’s decision rejecting the petitions filed by the BRS, citing lack of evidence.

In a statement, Rama Rao said giving a clean chit to leaders who won on one party’s ticket but later supported another party amounted to insulting the people’s mandate.

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“This is not a mere verdict, but a clear example how the constitutional institutions were being misused in favour of those in power. The verdict will encourage defections,” he cautioned, terming it as a dark day in the history of democracy.

He felt that allowing elected representatives to switch parties for personal or political gain weakens public trust in the system.