Congress seeks to disqualify MLAS Bypolls unlikely

Eighteen MLAs, nine each from the ruling Congress and the main Opposition party, the Telugu Desam, defied the whip issued by their respective parties and voted in favour of the No-Confidence Motion that took place on Saturday past midnight.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has said that the Congress Legislature Party will officially seek the disqualification of the nine legislators. “As per the rules governing the disqualification of members on the grounds of the Defection Act, within 15 days from the day of voting, we will have to lodge a formal complaint to the Speaker seeking their disqualification, which we have decided to do in the next few days,” Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy on Saturday told media in his chambers in the Legislative Council.

The nine Congress legislators, who had announced their allegiance to the YSR Congress, and were even working with the party for the last several months, will now have to face the wrath of their parent party and be prepared to lose their memberships. The CM, quoting Section 151A of the Representation of People’s Act, said that by-elections may not be held should the defiant members be expelled and the Speaker declares the seats vacant. However, it is for the election commission to decide, he said.

The defiant MLAs are Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao, Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy, Alla Nani, Maddala Rajesh, Jogi Ramesh, Perni Nani, Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Siva Prasada Reddy, and Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy.

Some of them have already submitted their resignations to the Speaker, who has not accepted them to date, but the Chief Minister seems determined to take them up on it this time.

“In their open defiance on Friday, they have crossed all limits and hence there is no question of talking to them and taking them back into the party fold. We will move the Speaker seeking removal of their membership,” the CM said.