Hyderabad: Danam Nagender is preparing for another electoral contest in Khairatabad after the Telangana High Court disqualified him over his change of party. Nagender said he would not approach the Supreme Court against the ruling and would contest again if a bypoll is held.
The High Court delivered its verdict on Friday, in a petition filed by BJP floor leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy. The ruling marks a major turn in Nagender’s political career spanning about four decades.
Nagender won the Khairatabad Assembly constituency on a BRS ticket in the 2023 elections. However, he joined the Congress in March 2024 and later contested the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat as its candidate.
He lost the parliamentary election to Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy. Nagender continued as an MLA until the High Court disqualified him from April 2024.
BRS legislators had approached the Speaker about two years ago seeking the disqualification of 10 MLAs who joined the Congress. In Nagender’s case, the Congress also issued him its B-form to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Nagender had anticipated the possibility of disqualification following his move to the Congress. After the High Court verdict, he indicated that he was prepared to return to the electorate.
If a Khairatabad bypoll is held and Nagender contests, it would be his 10th Assembly election contest.
Nagender began his electoral career in 1989 by contesting the Asif Nagar Assembly seat but lost. The Congress, however, came to power that year.
In 1994, he won Asif Nagar as a Congress candidate, while the TDP formed the government. He retained the constituency for the Congress in 1999, when the TDP again returned to power.
Nagender switched to the TDP and won Asif Nagar in 2004, while the Congress formed the government. He subsequently resigned and contested the bypoll on a Congress ticket but lost to the AIMIM candidate.
Khairatabad bypoll could mark his 10th Assembly contest
Nagender won Khairatabad as a Congress candidate in 2009. It was the first time that he won an Assembly election while the party he represented also came to power.
Then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy inducted Nagender into his Cabinet. After Rajasekhara Reddy’s death, Nagender continued as a minister under K. Rosaiah and N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
In 2014, Nagender contested Khairatabad for the Congress but lost to BJP candidate Chintala Ramachandra Reddy. The TRS, led by K. Chandrashekar Rao, formed the government.
Nagender later left the Congress and joined the TRS about six months before the 2018 Assembly elections. He won Khairatabad on a TRS ticket that year, while the party retained power.
In 2023, Nagender retained Khairatabad as a BRS candidate. However, the BRS lost power to the Congress led by A. Revanth Reddy.
Nagender then joined the Congress in March 2024. He contested the Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency for the party but lost to G. Kishan Reddy, while the BJP-led NDA returned to power at the Centre.
Meanwhile, BRS leaders celebrated Nagender’s disqualification at Telangana Bhavan on Friday. Khairatabad BRS in-charge Manne Govardhan Reddy said the verdict vindicated the party’s stand against defections.
BJP state vice-president and former MLA Chintala Ramachandra Reddy described the disqualification as a victory for democracy. He said the outcome showed that disregarding voters’ trust would have consequences.
Nagender has said he will not challenge the High Court verdict in the Supreme Court. He has also declared that he will contest again from Khairatabad if a bypoll is held.