HYDERABAD: Hours after the Supreme Court dismissed his petition and upheld the Telangana High Court’s ruling disqualifying him from the state Assembly, former Khairatabad legislator Danam Nagender responded to the apex court’s decision, expressing full confidence in returning to the electorate in the upcoming by-election.
Speaking to media persons following the verdict, Nagender stated that he respects and welcomes the apex court’s ruling and defended his decision to seek legal recourse. “We welcome the verdict of the Supreme Court. There is nothing wrong with exhausting legal options to fight for justice. Facing elections and political battles is not new to me. I am continuously present among the people, and I am fully prepared whenever the schedule for the Khairatabad by-election is announced” said Danam.
Nagender won the Khairatabad constituency on a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) ticket in the December 2023 Telangana Assembly elections before switching allegiance to the Indian National Congress in March 2024. His subsequent decision to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Secunderabad constituency on a Congress ticket—while continuing to hold his BRS Assembly seat—triggered anti-defection petitions under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
After the Telangana High Court declared his election void retroactively from April 23, 2024, Nagender moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay. However, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant dismissed his plea today, confirming the vacancy of the Khairatabad seat.
Asserting that he remains deeply connected to the residents of Khairatabad, Nagender emphasized that he will continue his political journey directly in the public court. When asked about his party nomination for the upcoming by-election, Nagender noted that clarity on political alignment and candidacy will be formally announced once the Election Commission of India releases the official election schedule.
The Supreme Court’s final ruling clears the path for the Election Commission to notify the by-poll for the vacant Khairatabad Assembly seat in the coming weeks.
