Reacting to the Speaker's order, BRS working president KT Rama Rao told PTI, “It is a cruel joke in democracy. He (Speaker) seems to be acting because, as the Chief Minister himself, on the floor of the Assembly said, nothing will happen to the MLAs who have defected." (File Photo)
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IN A relief to five of the 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs who joined Congress after the 2023 Assembly elections, Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Wednesday dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by their former party.
The Speaker granted relief to Alhambra MLA Tellam Venkat Rao, Gadwal MLA Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Rajendranagar MLA T Prakash Goud, Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi, citing lack of evidence.
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The order, which dismissed the petitions, said that the Speaker made the decision “upon examination of the petitions, consideration of the material placed on record, and after strictly adhering to the principles of natural justice by granting adequate opportunity of hearing to all concerned parties”.
Reacting to the Speaker’s order, BRS working president KT Rama Rao told PTI, “It is a cruel joke in democracy. He (Speaker) seems to be acting because, as the Chief Minister himself, on the floor of the Assembly said, nothing will happen to the MLAs who have defected. The Speaker is also obeying his directions and dictums. We will challenge the decision in the court of law. We hope justice will be delivered.”
The BRS will challenge in court the order of Telangana Assembly Speaker dismissing the petitions for the disqualification of five BRS MLAs.
The other five BRS MLAs who have been accused of switching sides to the Congress were Danam Nagender (Khairatabad constituency), Kadiyam Srihari (Station Ghanpur), Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada), M Sanjay Kumar (Jagtial) and Kale Yadaiah (Chevella).
After the BRS approached the Supreme Court in the disqualification case, the top court had asked the Telangana Speaker to decide on the petitions within three months starting July 31. The hearings in the case began on September 29 with Prakash Goud, Yadaiah, Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Krishna Mohan Reddy presenting their case in the first batch, followed by the rest in the second batch. Two MLAs, Danam Nagendar and Kadiyam Srihari, were issued notices several times in November after they failed to respond to earlier notices.
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The Speaker ruled on the disqualification petitions after the Supreme Court served a contempt notice on him on November 17 for not taking a call on the pleas. The hearings concluded on November 20.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
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