Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Kishan Reddy Challenges Rahul Gandhi Over Nagender Disqualification Verdict
The Telangana High Court disqualified Danam Nagender from being an MLA.
Nagender had been elected as a Bharat Rashtra Samithi member but later defected to Congress.
He also contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election for Congress while still recorded as a Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said Rahul Gandhi should explain why Congress gave Nagender a ticket.
Reddy said Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi both encourage elected representatives to change parties.
He called the court decision a setback for both parties.
The court overturned an earlier decision by the Assembly Speaker.
The case was brought by leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy asked Rahul Gandhi to respond to Danam Nagender's disqualification as a Telangana MLA.
The Telangana High Court disqualified Nagender after ruling on his defection from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to Congress.
The court set aside the Assembly Speaker's March order rejecting petitions seeking Nagender's disqualification.
Kishan Reddy accused Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi of encouraging defections and misusing political power.
Nagender had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket while remaining a Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA, according to Reddy.
- Who
- Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and disqualified MLA Danam Nagender are central to the statements; the petitions were filed by Alleti Maheshwar Reddy and P Kaushik Reddy.
- What
- Kishan Reddy demanded that Rahul Gandhi respond to the Telangana High Court's decision disqualifying Nagender as an MLA.
- When
- The High Court issued its verdict on September 18; Kishan Reddy made his comments on Saturday.
- Where
- The dispute concerns the Telangana Legislative Assembly and Nagender's Khairatabad constituency in Hyderabad.
- Why
- The court disqualified Nagender after he defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi to Congress and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket while still a Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA.
Kishan Reddy's Criticism
Parties Criticized
Responsibility for Nagender's ticket
Kishan Reddy's Criticism
Kishan Reddy said Rahul Gandhi and Congress should explain how Nagender received a Congress ticket while assembly records showed him as a Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA.
Parties Criticized
The article does not report a response from Rahul Gandhi or Congress to this demand.
Party defections
Kishan Reddy's Criticism
Kishan Reddy described the High Court verdict as a setback for Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, accusing both parties of encouraging defections.
Parties Criticized
The article reports no detailed defense from either Congress or the Bharat Rashtra Samithi against these accusations.
Constitutional criticism
Kishan Reddy's Criticism
Kishan Reddy called Rahul Gandhi's public references to safeguarding the Constitution a sham, citing Congress's handling of Nagender's candidacy.
Parties Criticized
No response from Rahul Gandhi or Congress is included in the article.
- Disqualified MLA
- Danam Nagender, MLA from Khairatabad
- Court
- Telangana High Court
- Verdict date
- September 18
- Effective date
- The court declared Nagender disqualified from April 23, 2024
- Earlier order
- The court set aside the Assembly Speaker's March decision dismissing disqualification petitions
- Petitioners
- Bharatiya Janata Party Assembly floor leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy and Bharat Rashtra Samithi MLA P Kaushik Reddy
- Political response
- G Kishan Reddy demanded an explanation from Rahul Gandhi and criticized Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi