HYDERABAD: The Congress has prepared a list of 12 MLAs who have defected to the TRS (now BRS), marking the benefits that they have allegedly received for defecting to the ruling party. The grand old party alleged that most of the 12 MLAs received monetary benefits from the ruling party, and some received prominent positions in the government.
The party is now busy collecting evidence to corroborate this claim.In light of the BRS MLAs poaching case, senior leaders of the grand old party say that luring Congress MLAs with posts and monetary allurements also falls under corruption. They want an investigation into the defection of Congress legislators under the Prevention of Corruption Act, on par with the Poachgate case.
With the Telangana High Court recently handing over the investigation of the BRS MLAs poaching case to the CBI, the main Opposition party in the State wants the central investigating agency to probe the defections that took place between March 2019 and June 2019. Also, the grand old party is seriously considering taking the legal route to get these cases investigated.
“After 12 MLAs from Congress joined his party, KCR announced the merger of the Congress Legislative Party into TRS. Such a merger of legislative parties has never occurred in history. KCR offered money to some of 12 Congress MLAs and positions in the government to others; we have gathered evidence and will submit it to the CBI and other central agencies,” TPCC senior vice-president Mallu Ravi told a press conference on Friday.
Analysts say that Congress is trying to create a narrative that it would not allow its legislators to switch loyalties to other parties. The party leadership is of the opinion that this would help them in regaining the trust of the people.