KTR welcomes Telangana HC verdict on disqualification of defected MLAs

He cited the Supreme Court's judgement on the party defections earlier, pointing out that the apex court had previously ruled that decisions on such complaints should be made within three months.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao welcomed the Telangana High Court‘s verdict directing the Assembly Speaker to take action on the disqualification of turncoat MLAs within the next four weeks. He termed the judgment a ‘slap in the face’ of the Congress Party, which adopted double standards on party defections.

In a statement on Monday, Rama Rao said the Congress had promised strict anti-defection laws during the elections, but encouraged defections in Telangana, undermining the democratic process. He cited the Supreme Court’s judgement on party defections earlier, pointing out that the apex court had previously ruled that decisions on such complaints should be made within three months. However, despite the BRS taking up the issue, the Assembly Speaker failed to initiate action, forcing the BRS to seek judicial intervention.

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“From the beginning, we strongly believed justice would be done in the court, and this High Court verdict has only confirmed our faith in the judiciary. The by-elections in Telangana are now inevitable,” he said, adding that the Congress which mocked democracy by giving the B-form to a defected MLA Danam Nagender, had learnt its lesson.

The BRS working president took a direct jab at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stating that even a chameleon would be ashamed of Rahul Gandhi. Criticising Rahul Gandhi’s public stance on defections at the Centre and non-Congress ruled States, while supporting defections in Telangana, he challenged the Congress leader to take strict action against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who made false promises and lured BRS MLAs to defect.

He also questioned the Congress Party’s inconsistent policies across different States, contrasting its actions in Telangana with those in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. “One policy in Telangana, another in other States? Rahul Gandhi needs to explain this duplicity,” he demanded, taking potshots at Revanth Reddy who called for pelting stones at defected MLAs during the elections, and asked him to now confirm whom should the people pelt stones at – him or the defected MLAs.

Rama Rao also said the Congress party, which neglected people’s issues and encouraged defections, would face consequences both in the Court and in the upcoming by-elections. He pitied the defected MLAs who were deceived by Revanth Reddy’s promises and lost the people’s trust. The people had witnessed the true face of Revanth Reddy and would teach him a fitting lesson in the bypolls, he added.