In an unexpected twist, the Telangana High Court has rendered the election of Kothagudem MLA Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, held on December 12, 2018, invalid. The disqualification came to light due to Vanama’s failure to furnish complete property details of himself and his wife in Form 26, submitted to the election commission.
The petitioner, Jalagam Venkat Rao, who had faced defeat against Vanama in the elections, filed the case back in January 2019. After a prolonged period of hearings and adjournments, the verdict was delivered by Dr. Justice Radha Rani of the Telangana High Court, ruling in favor of Jalagam Venkat Rao. As a result, Jalagam, who secured the second position in the elections, is now declared the rightful MLA of the constituency.
Apart from disqualification, the High Court also imposed a fine of Rs 5 Lakh on Vanama Venkateshwara Rao. This unexpected outcome has sent shockwaves through Vanama’s camp, as he had contested from the Congress initially but later defected to TRS, now known as BRS.
In the aftermath of the verdict, there are speculations that Vanama may receive a B-form from BRS, but this development could prompt the party leadership, led by KCR, to reconsider and possibly favor Jalagam, who remains aligned with BRS and enjoys a strong rapport with the party’s higher-ups. Nonetheless, the BRS party has released a statement asserting that the High Court’s decision will have no impact on their preparations for the upcoming elections, as they remain focused on their electoral goals.