Former minister and Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender is always uncomfortable to be with an opposition party and moves quickly to the ruling party. Though in the recent assembly elections he succeeded in re-electing as MLA from BRS, with the formation of Congress government in the state, he quickly jumped into the ruling party.
Sensing that chief minister Revanth Reddy may not be in a position to accommodate him in his cabinet, he successfully lobbied and got the coveted Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat. However, as he is not sure to win in Lok Sabha polls, or even in the by-elections to the assembly seat, he didn’t resign as MLA, before changing loyalties to the parties.
But, as he is contesting to the Lok Sabha as Congress candidate and presently representing the assembly seat as BRS candidate, some legal hurdles are haunting him. Already, Vijaya Reddy, who was defeated in Khairatabad as Congress candidate, filed an election petition against him in the High Court.
Now, again another disqualification petition was filed in the High Court against him. Raju Yadav, a resident of the city, filed this petition seeking an order to the Speaker to disqualify him. Danam Nagender, who won the assembly elections on the BRS party symbol, said that after joining the Congress party, he is contesting as the Secunderabad MP candidate on behalf of that party.
The petitioner stated in the lawsuit that it is illegal and unconstitutional for an MLA from one party to contest as an MP from another party without resigning from his post. To this extent, he sought a direction to the Speaker to disqualify him. The petition is likely to be heard by the High Court on Thursday.
Meanwhile, recently BRS MLAs complained to the Speaker about his change of party. A group led by MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy complained to the Speaker that he was guilty of defection from the party. The Speaker is yet to respond to this petition.
Meanwhile, the High Court has already issued notices to Danam Nagender in another case. The High Court recently heard a petition filed by his rival, Congress Party candidate Vijaya Reddy claiming that he resorted to malpractices to lure voters during elections.
The bench headed by Justice Vijaysen Reddy took up the case and issued a notice to Nagender. Vijaya Reddy’s lawyer argued that the voters were tempted during the assembly elections. It was explained to the court that money was distributed to voters and cases were also registered in this regard.
