Hyderabad: Condemning assembly speaker G Prasad Kumar’s decision to dismiss disqualification petitions against defected MLAs, BRS working president KT Rama Rao has called it undemocratic and shocking. He alleged that the decision was taken under tremendous pressure from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accused the party leadership of orchestrating the entire episode.Speaking to the media at Telangana Bhavan after the speaker’s verdict on Wednesday, KTR said the speaker had virtually no independence in the matter. He said the decision represented a direct assault on democracy and the Constitution, and that the principal architect behind this unethical move was Rahul Gandhi. KTR also questioned how an MLA who won on a BRS B-Form could contest as a Congress candidate in the Lok Sabha elections without resigning from the assembly, yet still escape disqualification. “An MLA who won on one party’s B-Form contests as an MP candidate on another party’s B-Form without resigning. Despite such clear evidence, the speaker refused to disqualify him. This is nothing short of political manipulation,” he said. “All the evidence is already in the public domain. The Election Commission records clearly show which B-Form the MLA used to contest the assembly election and on which B-Form he contested for Parliament. What further inquiry is needed?” he asked. KTR questioned the moral authority of Rahul Gandhi and Congress to speak about defections. “Rahul Gandhi and Congress have absolutely no moral right to lecture anyone about political defections,” he said. “The main perpetrator and the criminal mind behind this decision is Rahul Gandhi. He is the real culprit. Without his permission and approval, the speaker would never have dared to take such a shocking decision,” KTR stated. Criticising what he described as hypocrisy in Rahul Gandhi’s political stance, KTR said that the Congress leader claimed to be the defender of the Constitution while simultaneously encouraging defections. “On one hand Rahul Gandhi carries the Constitution in his hand and claims to be its protector. On the other hand, his party is enabling defections and protecting defectors,” he added. KTR further criticised Rahul Gandhi for speaking about automatic disqualification in cases of defection during his speeches in Telangana and for promoting the ‘Nyay Patra’, while allowing the Congress govt to protect defectors.
