TRS suspends MP for links with trafficking racket

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party has suspended its number two leader and MP A Narendra for his alleged involvement in the human trafficking racket.

Narendra's suspension was announced by TRS official spokesperson S. Madhusudhana Chary after day-long consultations with party president K Chandrasekhar Rao with party legislators on Wednesday. Chary said a showcause notice was also issued to Narendra, asking why he should not be expelled from the party.

He claimed that police investigations had confirmed that visas had been issued to some people on diplomatic passports of TRS MPs D Ravindra Naik and T Madhusudhana Reddy when they were in Narendra's possession.

Denying his involvement in the scandal, Narendra said he had collected the passports to facilitate the MPs’ visit to Pakistan as part of a parliamentary delegation. The visit was subsequently called off and he returned the passports, he claimed. Narendra, who termed his suspension as “unjustified”, is likely to make a detailed statement later.

Though the names of Narendra and some other MPs and legislators of the party were being linked to the scandal, the TRS chief decided to crack the whip on his deputy. Rao had earlier said he was under pressure from party ranks to expel Narendra ahead of the party's high-profile rally to celebrate its sixth anniversary at Warangal on Friday.

Rao and Narendra had recently developed serious differences and the allegations against the latter may have come in handy for the TRS chief.