Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Monday demanded action against BJP legislator Raja Singh for refusing to take oath as an MLA from the protem Speaker Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, who is from the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party.

"The people should condemn such remarks and his party should take action against him making such statements," he said.

Congress spokesperson Dr Sravan Dasoju, while speaking to ANI, said that his party strongly condemns Raja Singh's statement. He also said the BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should expel Singh from the BJP if his statement goes against their party's basic principle.

"People like Raja Singh do not deserve to be MLA and must be expelled not only from the Assembly but also from the party and also from the country. There should be no place in the country for the people who want to survive by speaking ill against other communities," added Dasoju.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has announced that the new legislative assembly will commence its proceeding on January 17, and will continue till January 20. However, a day prior to the commencement of the session, Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, an MLA of AIMIM, will take oath as the protem Speaker at the Raj Bhavan. The protem Speaker administers the oath to MLAs.

BJP spokesperson Krishna Sagar Rao told ANI that it was Singh's decision in his individual capacity not to participate in the oath-taking ceremony administered by the pro-tem Speaker if from the AIMIM party. "As an MLA Raja Singh has the right to choose the season when he wants to take the oath," he said.

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