Hyderabad, March 11 (NationPress) The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has accused the Speaker of the Telangana Assembly of making decisions regarding the disqualification petitions against defecting MLAs due to pressure from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) asserted that the Congress leadership was behind this entire scenario.

During a press conference, he labeled Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar's choice to dismiss disqualification petitions against the two remaining MLAs as extremely undemocratic and astonishing.

In a previous ruling concerning eight BRS MLAs, the Speaker determined there was insufficient evidence that Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari had switched allegiance to Congress.

KTR expressed that the Speaker lacked any independence in this decision, claiming that the Congress party was directly orchestrating defection activities in the state.

He stated that this decision signifies a blatant attack on democracy and the Constitution of India, with Rahul Gandhi being the main instigator behind this unethical maneuver.

“Rahul Gandhi is the mastermind and true wrongdoer behind this decision. Without his consent, the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly would not have dared to make such a remarkable ruling,” KTR remarked.

He further accused Rahul Gandhi of promoting such unethical political maneuvers for the sake of significant financial gains from the state, labeling the situation as part of a politically motivated scheme.

KTR questioned Rahul Gandhi's and the Congress party's moral authority to address issues of defection. “They have absolutely no ethical standing to lecture anyone on political defections,” he added.

He criticized what he perceived as hypocrisy in Rahul Gandhi's political position, stating that the Congress leader claims to uphold the Constitution while simultaneously enabling defections. “On one hand, Rahul Gandhi presents the Constitution as a shield, and on the other, his party actively supports defectors,” he noted.

KTR also raised concerns over how an MLA who won using a BRS B-Form could contest as a Congress candidate for Parliament without resigning from the Assembly yet evade disqualification.

“An MLA, who was elected on one party's B-Form, runs as an MP candidate on another party's B-Form without stepping down. Despite clear evidence, the Speaker refuses to impose disqualification. This is blatant political manipulation,” he stated, referencing Nagender, who ran as the Congress candidate from the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency.

“All the evidence is in the public domain. The Election Commission's records clearly delineate which B-Form the MLA utilized to contest the Assembly election and which one he is currently using for the Parliament. What further investigation is warranted?” he questioned.

KTR further criticized Rahul Gandhi for discussing automatic disqualification in defection cases during his speeches in Telangana while allegedly allowing the Congress government to protect defectors.

“Rahul Gandhi speaks about automatic disqualification for defectors. He visited Telangana and lectured on justice and democratic principles. Now, he needs to explain how such flagrant defections are being shielded,” KTR remarked.

He also pointed out that the Congress party has historically lacked credibility on the matter of defections, recalling that the 'Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram' political culture originated during Congress's time under Indira Gandhi in Haryana, and that the party had similarly encouraged defections in the past, including in united Andhra Pradesh.