Suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh on Sunday, August 6, said he would not be a member in the next Telangana Assembly. Speaking in the Assembly, the MLA said that while he did not know who will be there and who will not be there in the next Assembly, “I am confident that I will not be there.” The controversial legislator, who is accused in many anti-Muslim hate speech cases, also remarked that both ‘ghar wale’ (insiders) and ‘bahar wale’ (outsiders) don’t want him in the next Assembly. He, however, did not elaborate further. Raja Singh requested Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to take care of the people of his constituency, Goshamahal.
Sunday was the last day of the Assembly's monsoon session, which is likely to be the last session before the 2023 Assembly elections due to be held towards the end of the year. Raja Singh, who represents the Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad, was suspended from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year after he made certain remarks against the Prophet, leading to widespread protests in Hyderabad. He was also arrested under the Preventive Detention Act and imprisoned for over 75 days before he was granted bail. BJP has still not revoked his suspension.
Last month, Raja Singh met state Minister for Finance and Health T Harish Rao, triggering speculation that he was planning to shift loyalties to ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). He, however, clarified that he has no plans to leave the BJP. Raja Singh had earlier stated that if his suspension was not lifted he would not contest the elections.
The MLA was arrested by the police in August last year for his comments against the Prophet. He was sent to jail on August 25 after the Hyderabad Police commissioner invoked the Preventive Detention Act. Raja Singh was released from jail on November 9, after spending over two months in jail.
The Telangana High Court had set aside the police commissioner’s order and released the MLA on bail but directed him not to make any speech or comment which created hatred among communities.
With IANS inputs