Hyderabad: Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar has reportedly sought a 2-month extension from the Supreme Court to hear the disqualification petitions against 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs who are accused of defecting to the Congress after the 2023 Assembly elections.
After the BRS approached the top court seeking the disqualification of the rebel MLAs, the SC, on July 31, had directed the Speaker to decide on the matter within three months.
The Speaker had issued notices to the 10 accused MLAs, including Danam Nagender (Khairatabad constituency), Tellam Venkat Rao (Bhadrachalam), Kadiyam Srihari (Station Ghanpur), Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada), M Sanjay Kumar (Jagtial), Arekapudi Gandhi (Serilingampally), T Prakash Goud (Rajendranagar), B Krishna Mohan Reddy (Gadwal), G Mahipal Reddy (Patancheru), and Kale Yadaiah (Chevella).
Out of these, only 8 MLAs responded to the notices, while Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari sought more time for their replies.
So far, only 4 MLAs, including T Prakash Goud, K. Yadayya, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, and Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, have been examined by the Speaker.
Meanwhile, Banswada MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy on October 23 said that he has informed the Speaker that he won the 2023 Assembly election on a BRS ticket, and was still technically with the pink party.
However, he defended his move to join the Congress, saying he did it for the development of his constituency, and added that he will welcome the Speaker’s decision on his disqualification.
On the other hand, Khairtabad MLA Danam Nagender appeared on the Congress ‘Star Campaigners’ list for the Jubilee Hills by-election.
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