BRS warns remaining defector MLAs after Danam Nagender's disqualification
Synopsis
The Telangana High Court has disqualified BRS MLA Danam Nagender for defecting to Congress — overturning a Speaker's decision that BRS called politically shielded. With eight more defector MLAs in the crosshairs and a Khairatabad by-election looming, the ruling has set off the most significant anti-defection challenge in Telangana since the 2023 state elections.
Key Takeaways
The Telangana High Court disqualified BRS MLA Danam Nagender on 18 September 2026 for defecting to Congress , setting aside the Assembly Speaker's earlier rejection of the disqualification petitions.
BRS Working President K.
Rama Rao warned that the remaining eight MLAs who switched from BRS to Congress would face the same fate.
BRS Deputy Leader T.
Harish Rao accused Congress of double standards, noting the party had promised in its 2024 manifesto to tighten the Tenth Schedule against defections.
BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy , a petitioner in the case, said the ruling vindicates a two-and-a-half-year legal battle and called it a rebuke of CM Revanth Reddy .
A by-election is now expected in the Khairatabad Assembly constituency following Nagender's disqualification; BRS has expressed confidence of winning it.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Friday, 18 September 2026, welcomed the Telangana High Court order disqualifying sitting MLA Danam Nagender for switching loyalties to the Indian National Congress (Congress), and warned that the other MLAs who defected from BRS tickets would face the same outcome. The court set aside the Telangana Assembly Speaker's earlier decision, which had rejected petitions seeking Nagender's disqualification under the anti-defection law.
BRS Working President's Warning
BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao reacted sharply to the High Court ruling, posting on X: 'Satyameva Jayate!! BRS MLA Danam Nagendar, who defected to Congress, got disqualified by the Hon'ble High Court today. The rest of the defectors will also meet the same fate soon.' Rama Rao's statement signals that the party intends to press disqualification petitions against the remaining MLAs who moved to Congress after winning on BRS tickets.
High Court Order and the Speaker's Role Under Scrutiny
BRS Deputy Leader in the Telangana Assembly, T. Harish Rao, said the ruling laid bare what he called Congress's double standards on constitutional commitments. According to Harish Rao, Nagender won his seat on a BRS ticket, defected to Congress, continued serving as an MLA, and even contested the Lok Sabha election as a Congress candidate — all while the Speaker's office, critics argue, shielded him from disqualification. The High Court's intervention, Harish Rao contended, raises serious questions about the Speaker's handling of the petitions.
Harish Rao invoked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's stated commitment to protecting the Constitution, noting that the Congress manifesto ahead of the 2024 general elections promised to amend the Tenth Schedule to make defection an automatic ground for disqualification. He challenged Gandhi to instruct Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to direct all defected MLAs to resign and seek fresh mandates from voters. He also posted on X: 'The Congress party and Rahul Gandhi must answer the people. Is their commitment to the Constitution genuine, or does it change with political convenience? Satyameva Jayate!'
Petitioner MLA Calls It a Victory for Democracy
BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy, one of the petitioners who challenged the Speaker's decision in the High Court, described the verdict as a victory for democracy and a direct rebuke of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He said: 'This is a victory for BRS. Our party has achieved success after a two-and-a-half-year-long struggle. Revanth Reddy thought he could deceive the people forever but the court has put a brake on him.'
Kaushik Reddy expressed confidence that the remaining eight MLAs who switched to Congress from BRS would face disqualification proceedings. He also predicted a strong BRS performance in the by-election expected for the Khairatabad Assembly constituency, which falls vacant following Nagender's disqualification. 'By-elections will be held in the remaining eight constituencies as well,' he added.
What Comes Next
The High Court order puts fresh pressure on the Telangana Assembly Speaker to act on the pending disqualification petitions against the other defected MLAs, in keeping with constitutional provisions. A by-election in Khairatabad is now expected, though no date has been announced. The ruling also reopens a broader political debate about the enforceability of anti-defection rules in states where ruling parties wield influence over the Speaker's office. This is the first disqualification in Telangana stemming from the post-2023 election wave of BRS-to-Congress defections, and its precedent value could shape the fate of the remaining eight MLAs.
Point of View
When left to the Speaker of the ruling party, often stalls. The BRS case exposed a structural loophole: Nagender defected, remained an MLA, and even contested a Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate before any action was taken. With eight more petitions pending, the Speaker is now under judicial spotlight, and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy faces a political headache he cannot easily legislate away. Congress's 2024 manifesto promise on automatic defection grounds makes this doubly awkward — the party that vowed to strengthen the Tenth Schedule is now on the wrong side of it.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Telangana MLA Danam Nagender disqualified?
The Telangana High Court disqualified Danam Nagender on 18 September 2026 for defecting from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to the Indian National Congress after winning his assembly seat on a BRS ticket. The court set aside the Assembly Speaker's earlier decision, which had rejected petitions seeking his disqualification under the anti-defection law.
How many other BRS-to-Congress defector MLAs could face disqualification?
According to BRS leaders, eight other MLAs who switched from BRS to Congress after the 2023 Telangana elections could face disqualification proceedings. BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao has warned they will meet the same fate as Nagender.
What will happen in Khairatabad constituency after Nagender's disqualification?
A by-election is expected in the Khairatabad Assembly constituency following Danam Nagender's disqualification, though no date has been announced. BRS has expressed confidence of winning the seat, with MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy predicting a strong performance.
What role did the Telangana Assembly Speaker play in this case?
The Telangana Assembly Speaker had earlier rejected petitions seeking Nagender's disqualification, a decision that BRS challenged in the High Court. The High Court set aside that decision, drawing scrutiny over the Speaker's handling of anti-defection petitions involving MLAs who joined the ruling Congress party.
What is the Tenth Schedule and how is it relevant here?
The Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution contains India's anti-defection law, which disqualifies legislators who voluntarily give up party membership or vote against their party's direction. BRS leader T. Harish Rao noted that Congress had promised in its 2024 election manifesto to amend the Tenth Schedule to make defection an automatic ground for disqualification — a promise the party's own conduct in Telangana, critics argue, contradicts.
