Hyderabad: Congress Munugodu MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy announced that he had decided to leave the party and join the BJP. TPCC sources said that the high command had taken a serious view of Mr Rajagopal Reddy’s statements. They said that the suspension of Karnataka Congress MLA Roshan Baig was an indication that Mr Rajagopal Reddy would be suspended.
Some Congress leaders said that if Mr Rajagopal Reddy was suspended, he could be free to join the BJP without losing his Assembly seat. They pointed out that after suspension from the party if Mr Rajagopal Reddy joined the BJP, there may be no chance of taking action under the anti-defection Act to disqualify him.
But others said that if Mr Rajagopal Reddy joined the BJP after suspension from the Congress he would still face disqualification.
Former Assembly Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy said if any MLA joined another party after suspension, it would attract the provisions of the anti-defection law. He told this newspaper that as the suspension was a punishment, the party could also revoke it.
Mr Suresh Reddy said that even after suspension, the member had to follow the whip issued by his own party in the Assembly. If the MLA violated the party whip he would attract the anti-defection law. He said that there was no clarity in the anti-defection law on what action could be taken if any expelled MLA joined another party.
Former Assembly Speaker N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, also the last Chief Minister of undivided AP, agreed with Mr Suresh Reddy. He said that if a suspended MLA joined any other party, he would attract the anti-defection Act and get disqualified.
The TRS could utilise the opportunity to disqualify Rajagopal Reddy if he joined the BJP. In fact, it may bring pressure on Speaker P. Srinivas Reddy to disqualify Mr Rajagopal Reddy if he joined the BJP, its rival in politics.
