Telangana HC disqualifies Danam Nagender as Khairatabad MLA

The Telangana High Court on Friday disqualified Danam Nagender, the Khairatabad MLA, under the anti-defection law and declared the Assembly seat vacant. The court set aside the order passed by Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, who had rejected petitions seeking Nagender’s disqualification.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin held that Nagender stood disqualified from April 23, 2024, after he contested the Secunderabad Lok Sabha election as a Congress candidate while continuing as a BRS MLA. The court’s order was passed under Paragraph 2(1)(a) of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with disqualification on grounds of defection.

Nagender was elected from Khairatabad on a BRS ticket in the 2023 Telangana Assembly elections and subsequently joined the Congress. He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Secunderabad on a Congress ticket but lost to BJP candidate G. Kishan Reddy. His decision to contest the parliamentary election while retaining his Assembly membership became a key issue in the disqualification proceedings.

The disqualification petitions were pursued by BJP Legislature Party leader Alleti Maheshwar Reddy and BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy. They challenged the Speaker’s decision and argued that Nagender’s conduct attracted the anti-defection provisions. The petitions also sought disqualification from April 23, 2024, the date linked to his Lok Sabha candidature.

Following directions from the Supreme Court, the Speaker had conducted an inquiry and, on March 11, 2026, dismissed the disqualification petitions against Nagender and BRS MLA Kadiyam Srihari. The petitioners subsequently moved the High Court challenging the Speaker’s decision.

The High Court also declined a request to keep its order in abeyance to allow Nagender to approach the Supreme Court. It directed that copies of the judgment be communicated to the Assembly Secretary, Speaker and Election Commission, paving the way for a fresh election to the Khairatabad Assembly constituency.

Reacting to the verdict, Nagender said he welcomed the judgment and was prepared to contest again if a by-election was held. He said he had not yet decided whether to approach the Supreme Court and maintained that electoral battles were not new to him.

The ruling drew reactions from political leaders. BJP leader and advocate K. Karunasagar said the judgment reinforced the constitutional principle behind the anti-defection law. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao welcomed the verdict and said similar action could follow in other defection cases involving BRS MLAs who joined the Congress.

The verdict has now left the Khairatabad Assembly seat vacant and put the focus on the next steps of the Election Commission and the possibility of a by-election.