Hyderabad: Script, dialogue and commitment is the same over the years by Opposition MLAs in Telangana State joining ruling parties. Just need an alibi to join the government of the day.
There is a beeline to the ruling Congress, which won a spectacular victory in the 2023 Assembly elections under the leadership of A Revanth Reddy defeating the formidable TRS turned BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Former Minister and Speaker of Telangana Legislative Assembly, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, presently Banswada BRS MLA who defected to Congress party is no different.
Joined to serve the people
“I joined Congress for farmers’ welfare. I am impressed by the work of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, especially for farmers. I have decided to work under his leadership,” Reddy said after the Chief Minister called on him at his residence and urged him to join the Congress party.
He is the fourth BRS MLA to join the Congress publicly after Danam Nagender, T Venkat Rao, and Kadiam Srihari.
Congress, TDP, BRS and Congress
Srinivas Reddy, who served as Minister/Speaker in the past began his political journey with Congress in 1976, shifted to Telugu Desam in 1984, TRS (now BRS) in 2011, and now back to Congress in 2024. He served as MLA from Banswada in the old Nizamabad district in 1994, 1999, 2009, 2014, 2018, and 2023. He tried a BRS ticket for his son citing age, but KCR said no and asked him to contest again in 2023.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said Srinivas Reddy’s suggestions will be taken for the welfare of farmers and he “will be given a respectable position… I have invited Srinivas Reddy Garu as a part of the reconstruction of Telangana, which was destroyed by the BRS in the last 10 years.”
BRS protests
However, the joining was not without controversy with BRS leaders led by Balka Suman staged a flash protest at Pocharam Srinivas Reddy’s residence in Hyderabad for dumping BRS and joining Congress. They demanded his resignation from the MLA seat and contested again.
More MLAs in queue
Sources in Congress said that there are over a dozen more BRS MLAs who are in line to jump the ship while Khairatabad BRS turned Congress MLA Danam Nagender said 20 MLAs are in line.
KCR’s vain bid to hold MLAs
Though former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and party working president K T Rama Rao, former Minister T Harish Rao are trying to hold the legislators and saying that the party has a bright future and will come back to power, many in BRS are skeptical of party revival, especially after the rout in the Lok Sabha elections.
BRS, touted to win one or three LS seats, drew a blank while Congress and BJP won 8 seats each and AIMIM 1 seat.
In the 119-seat Telangana Assembly, ruling Congress has 65 seats, BRS 38, BJP 8, AIMIM 7, and CPI 1.
Scene after poll debacle
After the 2023 poll debacle and the recent washout in Lok Sabha elections, the BRS MLAs and other leaders are opting for either ruling Congress or BJP. Ruling Congress is the first choice since they expect some posts.
There is another group of leaders who are facing serious charges of irregularities during BRS rule who either have already shifted or are ready to jump ship now.
In tune with the Congress High Command go-ahead signal, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is trying to woo BRS MLAs and other leaders who matter in the assembly constituencies where the party is not strong or has opposition MLAs.
Taste of own medicine
KCR seemed to have the taste of his own medicine when he encouraged wholesale defection of MLAs from all parties including Congress, BSP, YSRCP, etc. during his tenure.
At the same time, Revanth Reddy who gave the much-needed victory and life to the Congress party in Telangana after the party’s facile win in neighbouring Karnataka however, could win 65 seats out of the total 119 seats. It’s just five seats more from the halfway mark and could be a risky anytime in the smooth functioning of the government.
TRS too faced a similar situation when in 2014 it won a borderline 63 seats and KCR encouraged defection from all parties especially Congress to ensure the safety and stability of the government.
At that time too, those indulging in floor crossing parroted the statement saying they have joined hands with KCR in the making of Bangaru Telangana.
Anti-defection law
Defections to the ruling party are nothing new but in the process the much-touted Anti-Defection Law has been thrown to the winds in undivided Andhra Pradesh and after the formation of the Telangana State.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly plays a key role in the implementation of anti-defection law in the State, but over the years defectors issue has been pushed under the carpet despite lodging of complaints by the affected party.
Recently, BRS complained to the Speaker against BRS turned Congress MLA Danam Nagender, who contested on a BRS ticket in the Secunderabad Lok Sabha elections and lost. The issue is still pending.
MLAs prefer ruling party
“Everyone prefers to be in the ruling party to ensure position, political clout and to get work in the constituency. Earlier, Opposition MLAs had a lot of respect but not anymore. You are recognised if you are the ruling party. Of course, there is always a tiff with the seniors,” says a senior Congress leader.
In fact, every ruling party either at the Centre or States continue to encourage defections.
The law
Disqualifications of Membership on ground of Defection:-(1) The Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985, which came into force with effect from 1st March, 1985, amended articles 101, 102, 190 and 191 of the Constitution regarding vacation of seats and disqualification of membership of Parliament and the State Legislatures and added a new Schedule (Tenth Schedule) to the Constitution setting out certain provisions as to disqualification on ground of defection.
“The Tenth Schedule provides inter alia that a member is disqualified for being a member of the House- (i) if he/she voluntarily gives up his/her membership of such political party; or (ii) if he/ she votes or abstains from voting in such House contrary to any direction issued by the political party to which he/ she belongs or by any person or authority authorised by it in this behalf, without obtaining, in either case, the prior permission of such political party, person or authority, and such voting or abstention has not been condoned by such political party, person or authority within fifteen days from the date of such voting or abstention; or (iii) if an elected member of a House who has been elected as such otherwise than as a candidate set up by any political party, joins any political party after such election; etc”
