YSRCP MLA from Rampachodavaram Vanthala Rajeswari condemned the reports that she was quitting the party to join the ruling Telugu Desam party. Expressing dismay at the reports, she said she was offered Rs 20 crore to quit the party.

Revealing this at the media point at the Assembly after the adjournment of the Assembly on Tuesday, Rajeswari said she owed her position to YSRC and party’s leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy. She refuted the reports as baseless and meant only to create confusion in the minds of constituency people.” I will remain in the YSRCP as long as I am in politics,” Rajeswari said. But,the tribal MLA did not show any proof for her assertion that she was offered Rs 20 crore. She simply said she declined the offer . She requested the media not to resort to kite flying without taking her view into consideration.

Rajeswari said some media houses had carried misinformation campaign against her and urged the media to check veracity of the report before being published. In same vein, another tribal MLA Giddi Eswari also dismissed media reports that some tribal MLAs were quitting the YSRC. ” This campaign is being carried to malign the MLAs in their constituencies. TDP is not able to tolerate the ever-growing popularity of YSRC and Jagan leadership. The ruling party is a sinking boat. Who would board the sinking boat even if if offers Rs 100 crore?,” he asked.

Following the confirmation of party deputy leader in Assembly Jyothula Nehru that he had decided to the leave the YSRC, more names are being talked about as the possible defectors. There are rumors that TDP leadership is targeting the tribal MLAs as it badly needs their support to revive the Bauxite project in the Araku valley.