The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) today suspended MLC Chintapandu Naveen Kumar, popularly known as Teenmaar Mallanna, citing anti-party activities.
The suspension was formalised by G Chinna Reddy, chairman of the TPCC's Disciplinary Action Committee.
This action follows Mallanna's vocal opposition to the caste census conducted by the Congress-led State government.
Mallanna had labelled the census as fraudulent, alleging that it was a scheme orchestrated by upper-caste leaders to marginalise the backward classes. His actions included publicly burning Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's statement on the caste census on February 5.
The Reddy Jagruthi Samithi, a community organization, also staged protests at Gandhi Bhavan, demanding action against Mallanna. They warned that inaction could lead to electoral repercussions for the party in the upcoming local body elections.
In response to these actions, the TPCC had issued a show-cause notice to Mallanna on February 5, demanding an explanation by February 12. The notice warned that failure to respond would result in disciplinary measures.
Mallanna however remained defiant, openly declaring his intention not to reply to the notice.
TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud stressed the party's commitment to discipline, and said that any leader violating party norms would face consequences. He also said that Mallanna's suspension was not solely due to his comments against a particular community but also because he destroyed party documents related to the caste census.