CM gives nod for action against rebel MLAs

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has given nod for taking disciplinary action against 16 Congress MLAs who voted in favour of the No Confidence Motion in the assembly.

The decision was taken in a high level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister and attended by senior ministers including Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, Ministers - Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, N Raghuveera Reddy, M Maheedhar Reddy, P Satyanarayana and Dharmana Prasad Rao at CM's camp office.

The ministers unanimously decided that the Congress Legislature Party should initiate the process to seek disqualification of 16 MLAs who joined the YSR Congress party and voted against the government during the No Confidence Motion. However, the Chief Minister has advised Botsa Satyanarayana to inform the Congress High Command before initiating action. The Ministers were of the view that lack of action against the rebels would send wrong signals in the party and could lead to more defections in future.

The ministers have also discussed the possible outcome of disqualification of 16 MLAs which could eventually lead to by-elections in those constituencies. Presently, six assembly seats are vacant due to the resignation of MLAs and one seat is vacant due to the death of Mahbubnagar MLA Rajeshwar Reddy. The Praja Rajyam Party has also decided to seek disqualification of MLA Shoba Nagi Reddy for violating the whip. Therefore, if all 17 rebel MLAs are disqualified, then as many as 24 assembly segments would go for by-polls.

However, the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues are confident that they would be able to win a majority of seats, if not all, during the by-elections which could reduce the dependency of Congress party on PRP and MIM to continue its rule in the State.