Disqualify rebel MLCs to protect spirit of Anti-Defection Law: CLP

Hyderabad, Feb 16 (INN): The Telangana Congress Legislature Party on Monday urged Legislative Council chairman Swamy Goud to take action against the nine Congress MLCs, who defected to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

The Congress MLCs, including CLP leader D Srinivas, Deputy Leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, M Ranga Reddy, Farooq Hussain and MS Prabhakar Rao, on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Chairman stating that no action has been taken on the disqualification petitions filed by them in July 2014 against nine MLCs under the Anti Defection Law. “The tenure of eight of the nine MLCs, who defected the Congress party, is coming to an end by this March 2015. Any further delay, we fear, may cause a great damage to the spirit of the Anti-Defection Law,” they said.

Speaking to media persons later, Prabha, Farooq Hussain and Ranga Reddy said that although the High Court did not interfere with the proceedings of the case, its final order clearly suggests that the Chairman is totally authoritised to take a decision on the matter according to Law. “We appealed the Chairman to dispose the Appeal Petition and disqualify all those members who defected the party without any further loss of time. Such an action will only embellish the stature of the Chair and enhance the grace of the Chairman,” they said.

They said inaction by the Chairman would set a bad precedent across the country.