In another setback to the opposition leader and YSRC president Jaganmohan Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, on Saturday, rejected  the petitions filed his party seeking  the disqualification of MLAs, who deflected to the ruling Telugu Desam party.

The speaker said the petitions were technically untenable.

Addressing a press conference called for this very purpose,  Dr Rao said, the petition  did not comply with the rules that  govern the disqualification of  MLAs under  the anti-defection law.

Late last night, the speaker’s office released the copy of the order on the YSRC petition. The order said, “the petition filed by N Amarnath Reddy against the 11 MLAs, and the petition filed by MD Mustafa Shaik against two MLAs under paragraph 2(1) of the Tenth Schedule of constitution of India, and rule 6 of the members of members of  Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Gound of Defection rules)  rules, 1986 do not comply with the requirements of  rule 6 and  7 of the members of  AP Legislative Assembly (Disqualification  on Grounds of Defection) Rules, 1986.”

Earlier, YSRC whip N Amarnath Reddy petitioned the speaker seeking the disqualification of 13 MLAs, who defected to the Telugu Desam party. He filed two petitions, one petition sought the disqualification of 11 MLAs,  the other sought the disqualification of two more MLAs, who crossed over to TDP later.

The speaker’s decision was welcomed by Vijayawada  MLA Jaleel Khan, whose name also figures in the list presented to the speaker as defectors.   “This is a lesson to the YSRC. Their decision will trigger the next wave of deflections. At least ten MLAs are in the queue,”  Jaleel Khan told  the media in Vijayawada.


Having come close on the heels of orders from the Enforcement Directorate to attach the property of Jaganmohan Reddy, worth Rs 750 crore, two days back, the speaker’s decision is bound to embolden the  fence sitter in the party to take a decision to switch sides to TDP.

 Despite the petition given to the speaker, the migration of YSRC MLAs to TDP continued.  Their number has gone up to 20 now.

What is most interesting is the whip, Amarnath Reddy, who filed a petition against the deflected MLAs, also deserted Jagan to join Naidu a few days ago.


But, a petition, that questioned the delay in taking a decision on the petition submitted to the speaker  is coming up for hearing before the Supreme Court on July 8 , 2016.


YSRC surprised

The opposition party expressed surprise over the speaker’s sudden decision. “ None of the 13 MLAs have denied the fact of their joining the TDP after winning on the YSRC ticket. They are attending all the TDP functions. The speaker should have long ago disqualified all these 13 MLA, who crossed over to the TDP in the full glare of media. Now that our petition is coming up before the Supreme Court on July 8,  the speaker hurriedly announced his decision on the petition, seeking to disqualify the  MLAs,” YSRCP said in a statement.


This is a ploy, the party alleged, to inform the SC that the petition had already been disposed of by the speaker.


“Instead of calling for a press conference to announce his decision to reject the petitions on so-called ‘technical grounds’, the Hon’ble Speaker ought to have summoned the petitioner to his chambers, consistent with judicial practices. After affording an opportunity to the petitioner of being heard; the speaker should have announced his decision. Unfortunately, this has not been done,” the party said adding that appropriate action would be taken after studying the order issued by the speaker.