Telangana Speaker Dismisses Disqualification Of 5 BRS MLAs In Defection Case Citing Lack Of Evidence

New Delhi: In a big relief to five of the 10 defected Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs, Telangana speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar on Wednesday (December 17, 2025) dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by the BRS against MLAs who defected to the Congress after being elected on the BRS symbol.

Citing a lack of evidence to declare the MLAs as defectors for hopping to Congress after the 2023 Assembly elections, the speaker granted relief to Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkat Rao, Gadwal MLA B Krishna Mohan Reddy, Rajendranagar MLA T Prakash Goud, Patancheru MLA G Mahipal Reddy and Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi.

Meanwhile, following the decision, the BRS is all set to challenge the Speaker’s order in the Supreme Court.

The ruling came a day before the expiry of the four-week deadline set by the Supreme Court, which had repeatedly censured the Speaker for delays and warned of contempt proceedings.

MLA Defection Case

Ten BRS MLAs who were accused of shifting allegiance to the ruling Congress include Danam Nagender (Khairatabad constituency), Tellam Venkat Rao (Bhadrachalam), Kadiyam Srihari (Station Ghanpur), Pocharam Srinivas Reddy (Banswada), M Sanjay Kumar (Jagtial), Arekapudi Gandhi (Serilingampally), T Prakash Goud (Rajendranagar), B Krishna Mohan Reddy (Gadwal), G Mahipal Reddy (Patancheru), and Kale Yadaiah (Chevella).

The top court on July 31 had ordered the Telangana Speaker to decide on the petitions within three months after the BRS approached the Supreme Court in the disqualification case.

The Chief Justice, on November 17, warned that the Assembly Speaker was in “gross contempt” for delaying decision on the petitions filed by the BRS leaders seeking the disqualification of their MLAs who shifted allegiance to the ruling Congress.

Two MLAs, Danam Nagendar and Kadiyam Srihari, were issued notices for a third time in November after they failed to respond to earlier notices.

The hearings finally concluded on Wednesday, November 20.

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