Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, accusing him of remaining silent amid a series of defections by BRS legislators to the Congress party. KTR emphasized that while Gandhi frequently discusses “vote chori” (vote theft) at the national level, he has yet to address what KTR called “brazen MLA chori” (MLA theft) occurring in Telangana.
“Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed of this undemocratic and unconstitutional practice. It is a crime more severe than the so-called vote chori he often mentions,” KTR stated.
The BRS leader called on Rahul Gandhi to respond to the assertions made by defected MLAs, who had initially won election on BRS tickets but claimed they had not switched parties after joining Congress. “The Congress party’s involvement in this shameless chori reveals its double standards. Rahul Gandhi must provide an explanation,” KTR asserted.
This criticism follows KTR’s recent comments targeting both the ruling Congress in Telangana and the BJP at the national level, accusing them of collaborating against the state’s interests. In August, during a party event at Telangana Bhavan, KTR alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had engaged in a “behind-the-scenes pact,” warning that such an agreement could jeopardize Telangana’s future.
On Friday, KTR pointed out that several defected MLAs were photographed wearing Congress scarves and posing with Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, images that were widely shared by Congress leaders on social media. “You adorned them with the Congress scarf, and now you claim they never joined? Do you still stand by this denial?” he challenged.
KTR further interrogated Rahul Gandhi with a series of questions: “If this is not MLA chori, then what is it? How is this less serious than vote chori? Are you not ashamed of your involvement in such political hypocrisy?”
He warned that these defections not only undermine democracy but also erode public trust, criticizing the Congress government for focusing on unconstitutional means to weaken opposition rather than addressing the concerns of the electorate.
