HYDERABAD: The Congress in Telangana could soon see an addition to its MLA list when BJP vice-president D.K. Aruna gets to take oath as MLA from Gadwal. However, the ‘boost’ in its MLA strength – from five to six — is likely short as Aruna is now in the BJP and has been silent on her next steps.
On Friday, the TS Gazette published the Election Commission of India's direction that she was declared elected in the 2018 election following a High Court verdict in her favor in an election petition that she had filed. Aruna called on Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundarajanan and submitted a memorandum and a copy of the Gazette.
Because she contested on a Congress ticket, she will have to take oath as a Congress MLA, despite being the BJP vice president. Once she takes the oath, she will not be able to quit the Congress and join the BJP as MLA, which would attract disqualification provisions under the anti-defection law.
It is learned that Aruna might resign soon after being sworn in. According to BJP sources, Aruna’s fight has been to prove a point.
On the prospects of their ranks ‘increasing’ in the Assembly, a senior Congress party leader said: “She is now in the BJP. She may take oath as a Congress member because she won on our party ticket but if she visits the BJP office then she can be disqualified.” It is not going to make any difference to us, the leader added.
Aruna, after meeting the Governor, said she had twice visited the Assembly to meet the Speaker and the Legislature Secretary to arrange for her swearing-in but since they were not available, she approached the Governor seeking intervention. “The Speaker is deliberately acting in this manner. I am waiting for a response from the Speaker’s office.”
