Opposition leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy’ s strategy to commit the defector MLAs honor the whip issued for no-confidence motion fell flat. The ruling TDP, which admitted these eight MLAs, had successfully rescued the defectors from being disqualified under the provisions of anti-defection law.

In the past one month about the 8 MLAs and one MLC quit the YSRCP to join the TDP. Annoyed at the desertions and the way the MLAs ditching the party, on which they entered the Assembly , Jagan wanted to teach them a lesson so that there won’t be any further desertion from the party. The opposition alleged that TDP luring these MLAs with huge money, as much as Rss 20 cr to Rs 30 cr, in a bid weaken the opposition party in the Assembly. Jagan’s YSR party, with its strength of 67 MLAs in 2014 has become a thorn in the flesh of TDP. The strength is  too big a force for the TDP to ignore and brow beat the opposition party. So, the TDP launched its mission to wean away the MLAs from YSRCP, says Nellore rural  YSRC MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy.

Even though it would be difficult for the YSRCP to get the defector MLAs disqualified given the democracy being practiced in India, Jagan wanted to initiate the process and wanted to create strong cause of action disciplinary action. Violation of whip, the YSRC supremo thought, would form the strong basis. So, the party decided to table the no-confidence motion and issued the whip. But, the whip would be effective only when there is need to honor it.

Here the TDP used the trump card to come to the rescue of the MLAs, who crossed over to the treasury benches ditching Jagan. First, catching the opposition party unawares, the TDP, which has huge majority in BAC, ensured that the motion was tabled on Monday itself with immediate debate. This could not give enough time for Jagan to pull his act together. On Monday none of the defector MLAs were present in House, which YSRCP alleges a conspiracy. Even though the opposition party issued Whip in every mode of communication, the chances of MLAs receiving the message and rushing to Hyderabad were bleak. Finally, a situation had been created in the House that conducting the business proved difficult. The opposition party leveled massive corruption charges against the chief minister Naidu and his government. Naidu responded with a warning that Jagan should show proof or quit the house for making baseless charges. He said there won’t be no business till the matter was settle. At many points, the government said it won’t allow the house run until Jagan tenders apology, an unusual stand for any government. Though he took some time to recover from the government’s strategy, Jagan said no apologies. He retorted by demanding he would place the proof before an inquiry commission, judicial or CBI but in the house when the CM himself was involved in corruption . In the logjam, speaker, stating that the house could not be run, put the no confidence motion to voice vote. He announced to the startled opposition that the motion was defeated and asked the house to take up the next subject, ie debate on Budget. He called Rajendranath Reddy of YSRC to initiate the budget debate.

There was no time for the YSRC to press for the division where the question of honoring the whip would have arisen. The floor strategy of TDP thwarted successfully Jagan’s avowed declaration that very purpose of the no-confidence motion to ensure the disqualification of defector MLAs. Since there was no voting on the motion, there was no need to exercise the whip on the part of Opposition party and no the question of violating or honoring the whip for the defector MLAs did not arise.