The appointment of a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator –– who recently joined ruling Congress in Telangana but continues to be a member of the assembly from BRS –– as the chairman of the public accounts committee (PAC) of the state legislative assembly triggered a political row on Thursday.
On Monday, state legislature secretary V Narasimha Charyulu issued a bulletin appointing Serilingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi as the chairman of 12-member PAC. Besides, the secretary also appointed Congress MLAs N Padmavathi and K Shankaraiah as the head of the estimates committee and the public undertakings committee, respectively.
Gandhi’s appointment triggered protests, with the BRS claiming that as per legislative traditions, the PAC chairmanship should be given to a senior leader from the Opposition, recommended by the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly.
Gandhi had joined the Congress on July 12. Though, as per state assembly records, he continues to be a BRS member though he switched his loyalties to the ruling party
His appointment as the PAC chairman was strongly resisted by the BRS, as senior lawmaker and former minister T Harish Rao pitched himself for the post.
In 2022, a similar situation was witnessed in West Bengal, when Bharatiya Janata Party member Mukul Roy, who defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress, was appointed as the PAC chairman. The BJP challenged it in the high court and later in the Supreme Court, leading to Roy stepping down from the post.
{{/usCountry}}In 2022, a similar situation was witnessed in West Bengal, when Bharatiya Janata Party member Mukul Roy, who defected to the ruling Trinamool Congress, was appointed as the PAC chairman. The BJP challenged it in the high court and later in the Supreme Court, leading to Roy stepping down from the post.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, Gandhi said that he still continued to be a BRS lawmaker and hence, there was no violation of norms in him being appointed as the PAC chairman. “I have not officially joined the Congress party and hence, I am eligible to be appointed as the PAC chairman,” he said.
This was strongly objected to by BRS lawmaker Padi Kaushik Reddy, who vowed to storm the residence of Gandhi, stating that the defected MLA had no moral right to accept the post. He declared that he would visit Gandhi’s residence, offer him a BRS scarf and also hoist the BRS flag at his residence.
“If Gandhi is right in his claim that he is still a BRS member, he should wear a pink scarf, come to the Telangana Bhavan and from there, should accompany me to the residence of party president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao,” Reddy challenged.
On Thursday, police authorities posted heavy security at Kaushik Reddy’s residence at Kondapur to prevent him from going to Gandhi’s residence. Similar security arrangements were made at the Serilingampally MLA’s residence as well.
Gandhi told reporters that Reddy had no authority to challenge him. “He had ditched the Congress and joined the BRS in the past. He has no moral right to question me. I am a three-time MLA and answerable only to the people of my constituency,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon, Gandhi, along with his supporters, reached Reddy’s residence and staged a dharna. Some of his supporters went on a rampage, ransacked the BRS MLA’s residence, broke window panes and damaged the properties on the premises.
The police quickly brought the situation under control and shifted Gandhi back to his residence.
After the attack, Reddy vowed to retaliate with the same intensity against Gandhi. “See, what is going to happen tomorrow. We shall pay him back in his own coin,” he said.