Harish Rao Challenges Congress on Appointment of BRS MLC

Hyderabad:IT and legislative affairs D. Sridhar Babu said the appointment of Patnam Mahender Reddy as Chief Whip was done as per norms and that the BRS was dragging constitutional posts into controversy.

He was reacting to criticism by former minister and BRS MLA T. Harish Rao of Congress government for appointing Mahender Reddy, a BRS MLC, as Chief Whip.

Harish Rao said the government orders for key events referred to Mahender Reddy only as an MLC and not as the Chief Whip.

According to Gazette Notification (No. 160-I), issued by Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari on March 15, 2024, Mahender Reddy was appointed Chief Whipm Harish Rao said. However, GO Rt. No.1075 issued on August 13 for Independence Day celebrations only recognised Mahender Reddy as an MLC. It was the same in GO Rt No.1213 issued on September 11 for Public Governance Day.

Harish Rao questioned why his position as Chief Whip wasn’t acknowledged in the official orders.

Citing parliamentary procedure, Harish Rao referred to Page 158 of M.N. Kaul and S.L. Shakdher’s ‘Practice and Procedure of Parliament’, which, he said, stated that whips must be selected from the members of their own party. “How can the Congress appoint a BRS MLC as their Chief Whip? This clearly violates parliamentary norms and is yet another example of Congress, under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, undermining the Constitution,” Harish Rao contended.