TDP MLA Sandra refrains from paying tribute to late NTR

Hyderabad: Raja Singh Lodh, a firebrand leader and lone BJP MLA in Telangana, has once again made a sensational statement by saying he wouldn’t take Oath of Office with Pro-tem Speaker Mumtaz Ahemd Khan, an AIMIM MLA from Charminar constituency. Raja Singh further said that he would take Oath with the full-time Speaker elected by MLAs.

“This is my personal decision and will take it to the notice of party high command,” said Raja Singh.

BJP Telangana president Dr K Laxman says he’s not aware of the decision taken by the party’s firebrand MLA. The Goshamahal MLA Raja Singh chooses to be absent at the Oath-taking ceremony by the Governor ESL Narasimhan.

TRS supremo and Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had chosen Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, who was elected for the sixth time as MLA, for Pro-tem Speaker of the Telangana Assembly until the election of full-time Speaker.

Known for his inflammatory comments, Raja Singh is facing over 60 cases filed against him. BJP had contested in 118 out of 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana and lost all of them with an exception to Goshamahal constituency, from where Raja Singh won.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath also campaigned for Raja Singh in Goshamahal constituency. BJP had five MLAs in the dissolved Telangana Assembly.

On the other hand, Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, TDP MLA from Sattupalli, was also absent at the NTR Ghat, where TDP leaders paid tribute to late NT Rama Rao, TDP founder and chief minister of united AP. TDP has two MLAs — Venkata Veeraiah and Nageshwar Rao — in Telangana and one MLA skipping this programme raised several eyebrows. However, Sandra said: “I couldn’t come due to Panchayati elections in my constituency. I was busy with nominations of our candidates.”