Speaker’s ruling on defected MLAs a grave constitutional violation, says Harish Rao

Senior BRS leader T Harish Rao launched a sharp attack on the Congress government in Telangana after Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar dismissed petitions against five MLAs accused of defecting. Rao alleged that the ruling party had trampled constitutional provisions on anti-defection, exposing Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Save the Constitution’ campaign as hollow.

Hyderabad: Stating that degradation of the constitutional institutions for political gains was something only the Congress government under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy seems capable of doing, senior BRS leader and former Minister T Harish Rao said Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Save the Constitution’ slogan has been thoroughly exposed with the Speaker’s ruling regarding the defected MLAs.

“Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, on Wednesday, dismissed the petitions filed by BRS against five MLAs, Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, T Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi, citing insufficient evidence to prove they had formally defected to the Congress.

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The MLAs argued that they continued to affiliate with BRS technically, despite allegations of switching loyalties after the 2023 elections. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress government, Harish Rao called the decision a “grave constitutional violation”.

The provisions of the anti-defection laws clearly outlined in the Constitution were ignored. “By completely setting aside the anti-defection rules specified in the Constitution regarding MLAs who switched parties and ruling in favour of the ruling party, this is nothing but trampling the Constitution,” he stated.

Rahul Gandhi’s “Save the Constitution” slogan stands exposed today with the Telangana Congress Speaker’s ruling on defected MLAs.

This is not saving the Constitution, but politically manipulating and undermining it by the Telangana Congress Chief Minister @revanth_anumula and…

— Harish Rao Thanneeru (@BRSHarish) December 17, 2025

He further charged that while delivering grand lectures on constitutional morality in Delhi, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi shamelessly defied the same Constitution in Telangana.

“This is the true face of the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi,” Harish Rao added.

Describing the Congress government’s stance as limited to slogans while stomping on the Constitution in practice, he said the people were clearly observing this hypocritical stand of the Congress.

“This is utterly shameful and an indelible stain on democracy,” he said.