Amidst the Chief Minister's statements on defections, a revisit of his own journey
India’s seasons are marked by distinct behaviours, whether the increase in demand for chaiandpakoda in the monsoon or people flocking to hill stations in the summer. However, there is hardly anything that rivals the high-strung drama of the festive election season.
One peculiar thing that makes the headlines in the months preceding and after the election is the game of political ping pong. Dubbed horse trading or aaya Ram gaya Ram (Ram has come and Ram has gone), it becomes an exercise to keep track of who’s moving where.
The back-and-forth game often places some leaders between the devil and the deep sea, forcing them to abandon the ideology they once stood for.
However, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s comments on Sunday, 12 January, regarding defection during the release of former Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao’s book, Unika,stand out for the timing.
While Revanth Reddy’s political journey can be traced from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), to the TDP and eventually to the Congress, the irony is heightened by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President B Mahesh Goud’s statements the previous day.
“It might not be nice if I talk about switching parties, but I need to,” Revanth Reddy prefaced. “Today’s public representatives want to be in power no matter what. Back then, people would stick to the party out of ideological commitment no matter what. We need to bring back that culture,” he explained.
“The senior leaders also need to be exemplary of this attitude,” he continued.
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10 turncoats, speculation of more
Meanwhile, Mahesh Kumar Goud on Saturday reportedly stated that there was a possibility of more BRS members joining the ruling party party.
He made this statement at an informal chat with reporters at Gandhi Bhavan. This comes after trouble within the Congress wherein MLA Danam Nagendar, who joined the Congress in March, said that the Formula E race elevated Hyderabad’s image.
The Khairatabad MLA and former BRS member seems to be in direct contradiction with the Congress narrative that former minister and BRS Working President KT Rama Rao held the race for personal gain.
In fact, the BRS party working president is currently facing a case in the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), accused of misappropriating the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) funds of over ₹50 crore.
Following the statement, various media houses interpreted it as a sign of unrest among the BRS defectors in Congress. However, Danam Nagender came out to clarify his statement noting that he did not absolve KTR of the blame.
Danam Nagender isn’t the only turncoat, since the Congress’ advent to power in December 2023 they’ve had an inflow of MLAs from the BRS.
In September 2024, The Telangana High Court issued notices to the Telangana Assembly Speaker and MLAs Danam Nagender, Bandla Krishnamohan Reddy, Kadiyam Srihari, Tellam Venkata Rao, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Kale Yadaiah, T Prakash Goud, Dr Sanjay, Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi.
This followed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) KA Paul in August seeking judicial intervention to declare these MLAs disqualified. Subsequently, in November, the high court directed Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar to decide on the pleas to disqualify the MLAs.
However, a little later, the high court junked KA Paul’s earlier petition. They stated that it was now under the ambit of the Speaker. The Speaker is yet to address this issue.
Saffron-Yellow-White: The chief minister’s journey
Revanth Reddy has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Hyderabad’s Osmania University. Reports suggest that during his college years, Revanth Reddy was a part of the ABVP, a far-right-wing student organisation.
Despite denying links with the BJP, they belong to the same fabric as the Sangh Parivar, a blanket categorisation of Hindutva organisations.
On many occasions, the BRS has referred to the chief minister as ‘Chitti Naidu’ (little Naidu). This taunt originates from Revanth Reddy’s close relationship with TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
The taunt is often used to discredit Revanth’s authority as an authentic Telangana leader. The TDP has often been associated with the Andhra identity as opposed to Telangana’s.
Following his stint with the ABVP and a subsequent term as a Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZTPC) member from Midjid Mandal as an independent candidate, he joined the TDP in 2007. He went on to represent the Kodangal constituency in Vikarabad as an MLA twice on a TDP ticket. He served as an MLA in both, united Andhra Pradesh (2009-2014) and the first Telangana Legislative Assembly (2014-2019).
He also served as the TDP’s floor leader until 2017 when he switched to the Congress. However, following his migration to Congress, Revanth Reddy lost the 2018 Legislative Assembly elections. He then contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections winning as the MP for the Malkajgiri constituency.
In 2021, he took over as the TPCC president from the current Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Despite professing the politics of ideological integrity, wherein one does not switch parties, Revanth Reddy’s own political journey is marked by no less than three switches.
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The Constitution of defection
The 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution tackles the “Provisions as to disqualification on ground of defection.” It details that a member can be disqualified if they voluntarily give up membership of their party. It also adds that the same applies if they abstain from voting or vote against the party’s directions.
“A nominated member of a House shall be disqualified for being a member of the House if he joins any political party after the expiry of six months from the date on which he takes his seat,” it further specifies.
However, it does make an exception. A member of a House shall not be disqualified where their original political party merges with another political party and they either join or abstain from joining the new party. It also makes an exemption for the Speaker to leave their political party to assume their post or rejoin it after they leave the position.
The decision for disqualification on the grounds of defection, though, is left to the Speaker. The original version states “Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, no court shall have any jurisdiction in respect of any matter connected with the disqualification of a member of a House under this Schedule.”
This was later upheld in Kihoto Hollohon Vs. Zachilhu and Others in 1992.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
