Revanth to file case against defectors in CBI court

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) on Friday declared that it had collected evidence against the 12 MLAs who had defected to the ruling party either for monetary benefits or political elevation. The CBI should investigate this issue on the lines of poachgate, they said.

TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy will file a case in the CBI court in New Delhi soon with the evidence. Speaking to reporters on Friday, TPCC senior vice-president Mallu Ravi said that the party will be seeking legal opinion before filing an implead petition.

Although Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had declared that the CLP had merged with the TRSLP in 2019, there was no history of the merger of a Legislature Party with any other party, he said.

According to the TPCC inquiry report, Athram Sakku of Asifabad, Chirumarthi Lingaiah (Nakrekal), Haripriya Banoth (Yellandu), Jajala Surender (Yellareddy) and P. Rohith Reddy (Tandur) joined the ruling party in 2019 for monetary benefits.

Maheshwaram MLA P. Sabitha Indra Reddy switched loyalties on March 13, 2019, and was rewarded with a ministerial berth while Pinapaka MLA Rega Kantha Rao was made the party whip in the Assembly upon his defection.

Palair MLA Kandala Upender Reddy not only secured monetary benefits but even his pending contract bills were cleared. Lal Bahadur Nagar MLA Devireddy Sudheer Reddy, who joined on March 16, 2019, was appointed as chairman of Musi River Front Development Corporation while Kothagudem MLA Vanama Venkateshwar Rao received monetary benefits and his land issues were also duly settled.

Kollapur MLA Harshavardhan Reddy received financial benefits through land acquisition, while Bhupalpalle MLA G. Venkata Ramana Reddy’s wife G. Jyothi was made zilla parishad chairperson.