Hyderabad, Feb 18: In a significant move for Telangana’s political landscape, Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar is holding a crucial hearing today, February 18, 2026, regarding the disqualification petitions against BRS-turned-Congress MLAs Danam Nagender and Kadiyam Srihari.
The proceedings, scheduled to commence at 11:00 AM at the Speaker’s office, come under the shadow of a “final warning” from the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the apex court extended the deadline for a decision by three weeks but cautioned that failure to act would lead to the initiation of contempt proceedings.
Today’s session is expected to focus on the recording of evidence and cross-examination. The case against Khairatabad MLA Danam Nagender is considered particularly high-stakes, as he contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket while still serving as a BRS MLA. Similarly, Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari faces scrutiny for shifting loyalties and campaigning for the Congress during the general elections.
While the Speaker recently dismissed petitions against eight other MLAs—including Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Kale Yadaiah—on the grounds of “insufficient evidence,” the legal community and political observers are watching if the direct electoral participation of Nagender and Srihari on a rival party’s ticket will lead to a different outcome.
The BRS leadership, which filed the contempt petition in the Supreme Court, has argued that the evidence against these two members is “apparent” and that the delay in adjudication is a violation of the Tenth Schedule. With the court’s February deadline fast approaching, today’s hearing is seen as the penultimate step before a final verdict that could potentially trigger by-elections in the state.
