Telangana assembly speaker announces verdict on two more MLAs

In a significant development in the party defection case, two additional MLAs have been granted relief by Speaker Gaddam Prasad. The Speaker delivered a decisive verdict regarding MLAs Kale Yadaiah and Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, asserting that there was no substantial evidence to suggest they had changed political parties. As a result, both MLAs are being officially recognised as members of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), leading to the dismissal of the petitions filed against them.

This latest ruling follows the Speaker's previous dismissal of disqualification petitions concerning five other MLAs. Speaker Prasad noted that there was insufficient evidence to merit disqualification, stating that the petitioners failed to prove that MLAs Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, Gudem Mahipal Reddy, Prakash Goud, and Arikepudi Gandhi had defected from the BRS.

A total of seven MLAs have now successfully argued before the Speaker that they remain loyal to the BRS. They clarified that any meetings with the Chief Minister were solely for development discussions and confirmed they had not affiliated themselves with another party. Pleased with their explanations, the Speaker dismissed the petitions put forth by the BRS against these MLAs.