Telangana is likely to witness by-elections to only two assembly seats, instead of 10, due to the possible disqualification of two MLAs – Kadiyam Srihari and Danam Nagender – in the wake of the Supreme Court directions.
State assembly speaker G Prasad Kumar issued notices to 10 MLAs who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to the Congress. Eight of them have submitted their replies.
BRS leaders, meanwhile, met assembly officials with evidence, demanding disqualification of the defectors.
However, two others – Danam and Kadiyam, have not replied to the notices.
Sources suggest they are consulting legal experts and are even prepared to resign if necessary. This has created a political stir, with speculation rife about by-elections in their constituencies.
The speaker has sought further clarification from six of the eight respondents, while action against Nagender and Srihari seems imminent.
Reports indicate that Nagender, who had earlier considered resigning to contest a by-election in Jubilee Hills, and Srihari, who campaigned in support of Congress for his daughter, are both likely to step down.
Political circles suggest that chief minister A Revanth Reddy did not approve Nagender’s earlier resignation plan.
While other defected MLAs may escape immediate action, the cases of Nagender and Srihari are seen as different.
The BRS is already campaigning that by-elections in their constituencies are inevitable.