The `defection’ of YSRCP MLAs into ruling TDP, which was halted since last few months, seems to be reviving again. After 20 MLAs from the opposition joining TDP, for the last several months no other leader defected from it. Moreover leaders from other parties started joining YSRCP.
However, with the decision of Pamarru MLA Uppuleti Kalpana to join TDP tomorrow, in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has raised the curtain of `defections’ once again. Yesterday she met TDP-AP President Kala Venkata Rao and expressed her desire to join TDP.
Meanwhile, Kala Venkata Rao said today that some more YSRCP MLAs are also ready to join TDP. Due to failure of the YSRCP Chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy to function as a responsible opposition leader, many more of his party leaders are deserting the party, due to uncertainty about their political future.
Supporting his party encouragement to defectors, Rao said that MLAs are migrating to the ruling party only for the sake of their constituencies’ development. “They are attracted by Chandrababu Naidu’s commitment for development and vexed with Jaganmohan Reddy’s destructive policies”, he added.
The former home minister Venkata Rao’s confidence indicating that several YSRCP leaders are `in touch’ with TDP. However, YSRCP leaders are dismissing his claims. According to a senior YSRCP leader, even those who joined TDP `are not happy’. They deserted the party only to get their things done in the government and most of them bound to return back to YSRCP by the time of the polls.
As the TDP government is simply ignoring presence of opposition MLAs in the governance, and even constituency development funds are being spent on the recommendation of local TDP leader in the opposition constituency also, they are said to be in TDP `to exploit’ their access to government.