HYDERABAD/ NEW DELHI, JUL 9 :  BRS working president and former minister, K T Rama Rao (KTR), on Tuesday lashed out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s stance on party defections in Telangana.

Expressing his anger over Rahul Gandhi’s double standards, KTR accused him of “posing as a constitutional protector while undermining its spirit”.

Speaking to the national media in Delhi, KTR criticised Rahul Gandhi’s actions.
He recalled Rahul Gandhi’s grand promises in the ‘Panch Nyay’ document to strengthen anti-defection laws, yet how the Congress engaged in unjust practices in Telangana.

In a speech at Tukkuguda in Hyderabad, Rahul Gandhi stated that the membership of defectors would be terminated yet shared the stage with BRS MLAs who had defected to Congress.
KTR remarked that Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour could win him an Oscar.

He pointed out that while Rahul Gandhi made Congress candidates in Goa take an oath against defections, in Karnataka, Haryana and Maharashtra, Congress MLAs were allegedly bought by the BJP.
Now, the Congress leaders are courting BRS MLAs in Telangana, he alleged.

The BRS leader demanded that the public take note of Rahul Gandhi’s behaviour, holding a copy of Constitution in one hand while undermining the Constitution with the other.

He claimed that with AICC’s approval, more MLAs were planning to defect in Telangana and questioned how Rahul Gandhi would respond.

KTR reminded that current CM Revanth Reddy once said defectors should be stoned to death and called them ‘mad dogs’.

He questioned who should now be stoned and who the mad dog is, asking for Rahul Gandhi’s response.
KTR recalled the Supreme Court’s significant verdict on a defection case, involving a Congress MLA in Manipur, and demanded an explanation for the BRS MLA purchases in Telangana even as Congress claims to fight against BJP’s defections nationwide.

He cited an allegation by Siddaramaiah in Karnataka that each Congress MLA was offered Rs 50 crore by BJP and questioned the cost of MLA purchases in Telangana.

KTR said he had been consulting legal and constitutional experts in Delhi for four days, seeking justice in party defection issue.

He reminded that Danam Nagender, who won on a BRS ticket, later contested as Secunderabad MP on a Congress B-form. He called for immediate action against such blatant defections.

The BRS leader mentioned filing a petition in the High Court and promised to approach the Supreme Court if justice was not served.

He also stated plans to meet the President and lodge complaints, as well as raise the issue in both houses of parliament.

He vowed to strengthen anti-defection laws in collaboration with parties affected by the Congress and BJP, advocating for automatic cancellation of membership upon party switching, as stated in the Panch Nyay document.

KTR criticised the Congress party for betraying Telangana before 2014 despite numerous opportunities given by its people.

He stated that the people fought against Congress’ injustices to achieve statehood and praised KCR for the state’s development over the past decade.

He attributed the recent Congress win to false promises made in the name of “six guarantees in 100 days” and accused Congress of resorting to MLA purchases to escape their 420 promises.

KTR stated that this is just the first step in the fight against Congress’ defections and promised more battles in the future.(UNI)