November 14 could bring double trouble for the ruling Congress government in Telangana. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who has been asserting that KCR belongs to the past, now faces a major legal and political test.
The Supreme Court of India will hear the crucial case related to the defecting MLAs on November 14. Earlier, the Telangana Speaker had sought more time to take a decision regarding the disqualification of 10 MLAs who defected from other parties.
The Assembly Secretary filed a petition with the Supreme Court on October 25, requesting an extension. The Speaker was initially given a three-month deadline, which ended on October 31, but the inquiry remains incomplete.
A bench led by the Chief Justice of India will take up the matter on November 14. It remains to be seen whether the court grants more time or criticises the Speaker for failing to act within the given period.
If the Supreme Court decides to disqualify the 10 defecting MLAs, the Revanth Reddy government could find itself in serious trouble. Combined with the ongoing Jubilee Hills bypoll, the situation may prove politically damaging if Congress faces a defeat there as well.
Revanth Reddy has already called the Jubilee Hills bypoll a "litmus test" for all parties. The results of both the defection case and the by-election could define the future of the Telangana government in the coming months.