HYDERABAD: Calling Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar’s decision on the disqualification petitions “highly undemocratic” and “shocking”, BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday alleged that the petitions were dismissed under tremendous pressure from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He also accused the Congress leadership of orchestrating the entire episode.
In a statement issued here, KTR alleged that the Congress itself directly engineered the defections, terming the Speaker’s decision an “assault on democracy and the Constitution”.
“The main perpetrator and the criminal brain behind this decision is Rahul Gandhi. He is the real culprit. Without his permission and approval, the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly would never have dared take such a shocking decision,” the BRS working president said.
He further alleged that Rahul was encouraging such unethical political activities for the sake of massive money flows coming from the state.
He questioned the moral authority of Rahul and the Congress to speak about defections. “Rahul and the Congress have absolutely no moral right to lecture anyone about political defections,” he said.
“On one hand, Rahul carries a copy of the Constitution in his hand and claims to be its protector. On the other hand, his party is encouraging defections and protecting defectors,” Rama Rao alleged.
“An MLA who won on one party’s B-Form is contesting as an MP candidate on another party’s B-Form without resigning. Despite such clear evidence, the Speaker refuses to disqualify him. This is nothing short of political manipulation,” he alleged.
He remarked that in the history of independent India, rarely had a Speaker delivered such a controversial decision. “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 which B-Form he used to contest for Parliament. What further inquiry is needed?” KTR asked.
“Rahul talks about automatic disqualification if someone defects. He came to Telangana and delivered lectures on justice and democratic values. Now he must answer how such blatant defections are being protected,” he said.
KTR also alleged that the “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” political culture began during the Congress era under Indira Gandhi in Haryana.