Speaker gives clean chit to two more defected MLAs ahead of SC hearing on Friday

Telangana Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar has dismissed disqualification petitions against BRS MLAs Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Kale Yadaiah, ruling that there was no evidence of defection to the Congress. With this, seven of the 10 MLAs facing charges have been cleared.

Hyderabad: Ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on the MLA disqualification case on Friday, Telangana Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Thursday gave a clean chit to two more BRS MLAs accused of defecting to the Congress.

He ruled that Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Kale Yadaiah belonged to the BRS, thereby dismissing the disqualification petitions filed against them, with the claim that there was no evidence to prove they switched parties.

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With this, seven of the 10 MLAs facing defection charges, including Arekapudi Gandhi, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, T Prakash Goud and Tellam Venkat Rao, have been cleared of the charges.

The Speaker is yet to complete inquiries into the cases of Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari. The inquiry into the petition against Jagtial MLA K Sanjay has been concluded, but the verdict is reserved.

The announcement came a day before the Supreme Court hearing on the petitions filed by the BRS against the Speaker and the MLAs. All eyes are now on the Supreme Court, which will decide the next course of action on Friday.