HC declares Nagender disqualified as MLA

In a setback to the Congress government, the Telangana High Court on Friday declared Danam Nagender disqualified as a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly.

The High Court set aside State Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar’s order dismissing petitions for disqualification of Nagender and ruled that he stands disqualified from April 23, 2024, as a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly, having contested from Secunderabad Lok Sabha on Congress ticket in 2024, after getting elected as MLA on BRS ticket the previous year.

The High Court pronounced the orders on the petitions filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy and BJP Legislature Party leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy, challenging the Speaker’s decision.

The bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin, which had reserved the orders on August 21, pronounced the same on Friday.

Nagender was elected to the Assembly on BRS ticket from Khairatabad constituency in 2023. He was one of the 10 BRS MLAs who switched loyalties to the ruling Congress party in 2024.

The petitioners had contended that Nagender contested on a Congress ticket in the Lok Sabha elections in May 2024 without resigning from the BRS.

Nagender’s disqualification has given a boost to the efforts of BRS to seek disqualification of eight other defectors.

The Speaker has dismissed petitions of BRS for disqualification of all 10 MLAs. BRS MLAs have filed separate petitions, challenging the Speaker’s decision in respect of nine out of 10 MLAs.

The Speaker on March 11, 2026, dismissed the petitions for the disqualification of two MLAs, Kadiyam Srihari and Danam Nagender, on the ground that the petitioners have failed to provide evidence that the two MLAs defected to the Congress party.

While giving a clean chit to Nagender and Srihari, both former ministers, the Speaker ruled that they are technically still with the BRS.

In December 2025, he dismissed the petitions for the disqualification of five MLAs -- Tellam Venkat Rao, Bandla Krishna Mohan Reddy, T. Prakash Goud, Gudem Mahipal Reddy and Arekapudi Gandhi.

He dismissed the petitions for the disqualification of Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Kale Yadaiah on January 15, 2026.

On February 4, 2026, the Speaker dismissed the petition for the disqualification of BRS MLA Sanjay Kumar.

In all the cases, the Speaker ruled that the petitioners failed to provide evidence that the MLAs defected to the Congress, making it clear that the Anti-Defection Act could not be applied.