AP: Disqualification of 17 MLAs by mid-February

HYDERABAD: The Congress is preparing for by-elections for 24 Assembly seats, including six from Telangana, as the speaker is expected to disqualify 16 of Congress and one of PRP MLAs for defying the whip of their respective parties and voting against the government on the noconfidence motion in the Assembly on December 5. Sources said the speaker would disqualify the 17 MLAs before the commencement of the budget session of the Assembly on February 13 as any delay may complicate the issue further.As indications are that all the 17 MLAs will be disqualified soon, it has become clear that the Congress does not want byelections in a phased manner as is being suspected by YSR Congress leaders