Hyderabad: Giving no time to the Congress to recover from a series of setbacks, the Legislative Council on Saturday issued a gazette notification cancelling Opposition leader status to Congress leader Shabbir Ali.
The notification comes within 24 hours of the merger of the four Congress MLCs with the TRS. The Congress is left with two members in the Council, and needs a minimum of four to have Opposition status.
Meanwhile, TRS MLC Konda Murali who defected to the Congress resigned before Council Chairman A. Swamy Goud disqualifies him. The Council Secretariat issued an order accepting his resignation.
The TRS has complained to Mr Swamy Goud against four TRS MLCs, including Mr Murali, and sought their disqualification under the anti-defection Act for joining the Congress. In a counter, the Congress petitioned Mr Goud to disqualify the four Congress MLCs who joined the TRS. But Mr Goud, setting aside the Congress compliant, issued orders on Friday recognising the four defected MLCs as TRS MLCs.
Telangana Congress leaders slashed out at Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on this issue. AICC secretary and former MP V. Hanumantha Rao said Mr Chandrasekhar Rao was trying to wipe out the opposition in the state. He accused the CM of making a mockery of democracy.
