Hyderabad: A major twist has emerged in the Telangana political scenario regarding the defection episode as Assembly Speaker Gadda Maheshwar Rao issued notices to Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender on Wednesday. He has been called to appear for questioning in front of the Speaker on the 30th of this month. This comes in the wake of complaints filed by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party alleging that ten MLAs, who won their seats, have defected from the party.
It is known that the BRS party approached the Telangana Assembly Speaker’s office with these allegations, prompting the Speaker to take action. However, the Speaker’s reluctance to act led the party to seek intervention from the Supreme Court. In response to the court’s warnings and deadlines, Speaker Gadda Maheshwar Rao has begun conducting inquiries. So far, he has questioned seven of the ten MLAs, who have managed to provide no substantial evidence to support the claims of their defection.
Among those already interrogated include Arikapudi Gandhi, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, Bandla Krishna Mohan, Prakash Goud, Tellam Venkatrav, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, and Kale Yadayya, all of whom have been given a clean chit regarding the allegations. However, three MLAs—Dr. Sanjay, Danam Nagender, and Kadiyam Srihari—are yet to be questioned. The recent issuance of notices to Danam Nagender has added a new layer of intrigue to the ongoing saga.
Additionally, BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy, who has filed a disqualification petition against Danam Nagender, has also received a notice from the Speaker. Both individuals have been instructed to attend separate hearings on the 30th of this month. This development raises questions about the Speaker’s handling of the disqualification petitions, especially in light of the Supreme Court’s directive issued on the 19th of this month, which criticized the Speaker for delays and warned of strict action if the petitions were not addressed promptly.
The issuance of notices to Nagender comes at a pivotal time, as he continues to serve as a BRS MLA while also preparing to contest the upcoming 2024 general elections as a candidate from the Congress party’s B-form. This duality in his political affiliation adds further complexity to the ongoing investigation into the alleged defections within the Telangana Assembly.
As the situation unfolds, all eyes will be on the proceedings scheduled for the end of the month. The outcomes of these inquiries could have significant implications for the political landscape in Telangana, especially as the state gears up for the upcoming elections. The actions taken by the Speaker and the responses from the implicated MLAs will likely set a precedent for how such cases are managed in the future, making this a critical moment for the BRS and its leadership.
