With the Supreme Court setting a three-month deadline for Telangana Assembly Speaker G Prasad Kumar to decide on the disqualification of 10 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs who defected to the Congress in 2024, the Speaker is now compelled to act.
According to sources, the Speaker has issued notices to the defected MLAs, seeking clarification on whether they have officially joined the Congress or continue to remain with the BRS.
Notices were served to five MLAs earlier this week, while the remaining five are expected to receive them in the next couple of days, sources said.
The MLAs named in the BRS complaint include Danam Nagender, Kadiyam Srihari, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Arikepudi Gandhi, Tellam Venkata Rao, Sanjay Kumar, Kale Yadaiah, Prakash Goud, Krishna Mohan Reddy, and Mahipal Reddy.
In its July 25 ruling, the Supreme Court directed that a decision must be made within three months. While legal consultations are underway with the Speaker, assembly sources stressed that decisions under the anti-defection law lie solely within his jurisdiction.
With the issuance of these notices, speculation is growing over whether the Speaker will be able to complete the inquiry and deliver a verdict within the court’s deadline.
Meanwhile, several MLAs under scrutiny continue to insist they are still members of the BRS, despite their actions and public appearances suggesting otherwise. The final outcome is being closely watched in political circles.
