BRS issues three-line whip to MLCs as Tata Madhu faces possible action
BRS directs all MLCs to attend Council session on Sept 8 and vote as per party line amid calls to expel Tata Madhu.
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has issued a three-line whip to its Legislative Council members, mandating their presence and vote in the House on September 8. The directive comes as the party anticipates disciplinary proceedings against MLC Tata Madhusudhan, popularly known as Tata Madhu, over his alleged derogatory remarks against Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
Under the whip, all BRS MLCs must attend the Council proceedings and vote strictly according to the party's position. Failure to comply could invite action under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which deals with disqualification on grounds of defection.
The demand for stringent action against Tata Madhu has been voiced strongly in the Assembly, with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Dalit MLAs calling for his expulsion, terming the remarks unpardonable.
The current standoff draws parallels to a 2018 episode during the previous BRS regime. Then, Congress MLAs Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and S.A. Sampath Kumar were expelled from the Assembly a day after they allegedly threw papers at the then Legislative Council Chairman K. Swamy Goud, injuring his eye during the Governor's address. The Congress leaders contested the action, and the episode became a major political flashpoint. While the government moved swiftly to notify bypolls, the process was stayed by the High Court.
The latest controversy unfolds amid a significant reduction in BRS's strength in the 40-member Council. In July 2024, six BRS MLCs—including T. Bhanu Prasad Rao, Dande Vittal, Baswaraj Saraiah, M.S. Prabhakar Rao, Yegge Mallesham, and Boggarapu Dayanand—joined the Congress in the presence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Patnam Mahender Reddy and K. Damodar Reddy were among other BRS MLCs who later crossed over to the ruling party.
Given this backdrop, the three-line whip is seen as a critical move by the BRS to ensure unity and discipline among its remaining members in the Council when any motion against Tata Madhu is taken up.