KCR engineered 47 defections in 48-month rule, states Congress

The Telangana Congress Legislature Party on Thursday sought the disqualification of party MLCs who defected to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Accompanied by Deputy CLP leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, on Thursday lodged a formal complaint with Council Chairman Swamy Goud, seeking disqualification of the MLCs, M.S. Prabhakar and Farooq Hussain, who had recently switched over to the TRS. They also stressed action against another MLC Rajeshwar, who had defected to the ruling party earlier. Shabbir Ali told Council Chairman that so far 18 MLCs of various parties had defected to the TRS. However, no action was taken against any of them. While the term of some of the MLCs expired, a few others got re-elected on the TRS ticket. "This silence and inaction has encouraged more defections. If the defectors would have faced punishment under the Anti-Defection Law, then it would have prevented other MLCs from joining other parties," he said. Speaking to media persons at Council Media Point later, Shabbir Ali furnished the list of 47 MPs, MLAs and MLCs who had defected to the TRS. "Instead of setting new standards of morals and ethics in the new State of Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has set a wrong precedent. He engineered 47 defections, which includes 4 MPs, 25 MLAs and 18 MLCs during his 48-month rule. "By not taking any action, Council Chairman Swamy Goud and Assembly Speaker Madhusudanachary would be making their contribution in this collective crime. KCR has created a history by breaking Anti-Defection Law 47 times in two years and without facing action even once. This must be stopped immediately," he said. Sudhakar Reddy said it was strange that MS Prabhakar, who had lodged a case in the High Court against defections, had himself defected to the TRS. He pointed out that the Supreme Court has foiled defections in Uttaranchal and restored a democratically elected government. He alleged that TRS has openly ridiculed the Constitution and the Law.