Speaker Deliberately Avoiding Us: BRS MLAs

BRS MLAs today alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who they said had come to power by promising democratic rule in Telangana, was taking away their democratic rights.

They also alleged that the CM had kept all the systems of the government under his control, including the office of the Assembly Speaker.

Addressing media persons at BRS State headquarters Telangana Bhavan, party MLAs K P Vivekanand, Padi Kaushik Reddy and Kova Laxmi, and former MLAs Jeevan Reddy and Shashidhar Reddy, alleged that the Assembly Speaker did not meet them when they tried to file a petition seeking disqualification of their party's rebel MLAs Kadiyam Srihari and Vellam Venkatrao, who switched sides recently to the Congress.

"We have sent petitions by registered post as the Speaker did not give us time. There is no other option for him but to disqualify Kadiyam and Vellam along with the other MLA Danam Nagender. There is a Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, where the Speaker disqualified those who defected to the opposition party. The decision taken by the Himachal Speaker should be taken by the Telangana Assembly Speaker too. If the Speaker fails to disqualify our petty rebel MLAs, we will fight to any extent," they said, adding that they would stage a dharna in front of the Assembly and would also knock on the doors of the courts.

"The AICC manifesto said thata new law on defections would be brought in and those who switched parties would be automatically sacked. It is a shame for this CM who encourages defections to sit on the same platform while releasing the manifesto in the Tukkuguda. The CM should stop pressurising the Speaker. Legally our petitions have reached the Speaker. Now action should be initiated," they added.

They also reminded Revanth Reddy of his remark that those who switched parties should be stoned to death. Accordingly, disqualification should be done, they said.