The 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLAs, who defected to the Congress over a period of time in 2024, are now trying to find excuses to avoid being disqualified following a direction from the Supreme Court recently to the assembly speaker to decide on their defections.
On Sunday night, nine of these 10 MLAs who were accused of defecting from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to the Congress held a key meeting with chief minister A Revanth Reddy to discuss their strategy.
The meeting came after assembly speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar issued disqualification notices to 10 MLAs under the Supreme Court’s direction to decide on anti-defection petitions within 90 days.
The meeting, which lasted over an hour at the CM’s camp office in Jubilee Hills, was attended by senior Congress leaders, legal experts, and Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and D Sridhar Babu.
Sources said discussions focused on responding to the Speaker’s notices and planning both legal and political strategies.
Nine MLAs — Danam Nagender, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, Mahipal Reddy, Prakash Goud, Arekapudi Gandhi, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Dr. Sanjay, Tellam Venkata Rao, and Kale Yadaiah — attended the meeting. Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari was absent.
Some legislators have already submitted explanations to the Speaker, while others are yet to respond. Although the MLAs publicly claimed the meeting was about development works, pending funds, and issues with local Congress leaders, political circles suggest the real discussions were on how to counter the Speaker’s notices and the Supreme Court’s deadline.
Reportedly, the MLAs resolved to argue that they had not defected and still remained in the BRS, meeting the CM only to pursue constituency development.
Revanth Reddy is said to have assured them of full support, promising that he would stand by those who trusted him and ensure pending development funds were released.
The issue has once again stirred political heat in Telangana, as the BRS prepares for possible by-elections in the 10 constituencies while the Congress strategizes to retain its position.
