After the Speaker’s office issued a bulletin merging the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) with the TRS Legislature Party (TRLSP) the Congress has decided to challenge it in the High Court.
TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, who spoke to the media, termed the merger as “absolute misuse of power reflecting the arrogance of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao”, and said they would challenge it in the High Court. They would also complain to the Lokpal with all the evidence.
To put further pressure on the government and save democracy, Mr. Vikramarka will sit on a 36-hour deeksha at the Dharna Chowk on Saturday, he said.
Mr. Reddy asked the people to see this merger as an attack on Telangana and not just Congress party. “Congress can never be weakened. All that we get from this is less time to speak in the Assembly but we will continue to fight against the corruption and undemocratic rule of the TRS,” he declared.
He also taunted Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao asking whether he was illegally merging the Congress MLAs to save his son, K.T. Rama Rao in case his nephew T. Harish Rao revolts against him.
Mr. Reddy asked if KCR was not comfortable with a Dalit as the Leader of the Opposition. Similarly, the CLP headed by Mohd Shabbir Ali in Council was also merged illegally reflecting how the Chief Minister did not want a minority leader to be leader of the Opposition, he alleged.
He said several defected MLAs have themselves confessed to him that the government was threatening them with false cases or had offered money to change the party.
Mr. Vikramarka alleged that Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao was afraid of his corruption being highlighted in the Assembly by the Opposition and was bent upon silencing all forces using money or threats. He said Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy did not give them appointment despite repeated requests but met the defected MLAs.
