Three MLCs -- S. Ramulu Naik, R. Bhupathi Reddy and K. Yadava Reddy -- were disqualified from the membership of Telangana Legislative Council by its chairman K. Swamy Goud on Wednesday.
Their disqualification was sought by TRS which had earlier suspended them from the party for shifting loyalties to the Congress before the recent Assembly elections. Mr. Goud gave both sides a hearing and then took the action invoking provisions of the Constitution. Mr. Naik was nominated to the Council by the Governor while Mr. Bhupathi Reddy was elected from local authorities constituency representing Nizamabad and Mr. Yadava Reddy from MLAs quota.
The MLCs protested the disqualification and expressed their resolve to take up a legal fight. They said it was a unilateral decision lacking logic since no action was taken on a petition by the Congress seeking similar disqualification against its members who defected to the TRS. Also, Mr. Goud had already notified the merger of Congress in the Council with the TRS after its members joined the latter party. Where was the question of identifying them with the Congress?.