Kavitha Launches 'Telangana Rashtra Sena'; AAP's Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal Join BJP
K. Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), launched a new political party — Telangana Rashtra Sena (TRS) — in Hyderabad, positioning herself against both her father's BRS and the ruling Congress. In a separate political development, 7 AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal, and Sandeep Pathak, formally joined the BJP. AAP is filing petitions with the Rajya Sabha Chairman under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law) seeking their disqualification. The defections jolted AAP, raising questions about the party's future with Punjab as its only remaining state.
Key Facts & Details
7 points- 1K. Kavitha launches 'Telangana Rashtra Sena (TRS)', taking on KCR's BRS and Congress
- 2AAP's Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal and 5 others formally join BJP
- 3AAP seeks disqualification of defecting MPs under Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law)
Deep Dive
- +Raghav Chadha is a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab; was AAP's key face in Punjab and nationally
- +Swati Maliwal had accused Arvind Kejriwal's PA of assault in 2024 — a case that had strained AAP
- +The Tenth Schedule was added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment (1985) to prevent defections
- +For a defection to be valid, at least 2/3 of the party's legislature members must agree to merge
Exam Focus
Likely MCQ: Anti-defection law in India is contained in which Schedule of the Constitution? → Answer: Tenth Schedule
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Polity: Anti-defection law, constitutional provisions, and political party dynamics.
Target Exams
Background & Context
Anti-Defection Law in India is contained in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985 during PM Rajiv Gandhi's tenure. It disqualifies a legislator who:
- Voluntarily gives up party membership
- Votes against the party whip without permission
- Abstains from voting against party direction
Exception: A merger is permitted if at least 2/3 of the legislature party members agree to merge with another party.
The Speaker/Chairman decides disqualification cases but their decision is judicially reviewable. The Supreme Court in Kihoto Hollohan vs Zachillhu (1992) upheld the Tenth Schedule but ruled that the Speaker's decisions are subject to judicial review.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was the original party founded by KCR that fought for and achieved Telangana statehood in 2014. KCR renamed it Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in 2022 to signal national ambitions, which was controversial. Kavitha's new Telangana Rashtra Sena appears to reclaim the TRS name and legacy.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 3The Anti-Defection Law was added to the Constitution by which Amendment?
This topic is important for:
