The ruling YSR Congress on Friday suspended four of its MLAs for cross voting in the just-concluded MLC elections from the Assembly. The party took action against the four MLAs who had voted for the TDP in the MLC election.
Party general secretary and government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy told the media persons in Tadepalli that the party had conducted internal enquiry on the cross voting by the MLAs. The party found that the four MLAs, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and Undavalli Sridevi, were found guilty of cross voting, he said.
He alleged that these four MLAs were sold out to the opposition TDP during the MLC election. He said that TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu is known for purchasing MLAs and had done the same in the MLC election.
While Sridevi from Tadikonda in Guntur district had denied to have voted for the TDP, Chandrasekhar Reddy was unavailable for the party after the voting was over. Sridhar Reddy defied the party a couple of months ago and had declared that he would go by his conscience in the MLC elections. Ramanarayana Reddy did not make any statement on his preference to vote for the TDP against the party’s decision.
Meanwhile, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy’s brother Giridhar Reddy joined the TDP in the presence of Chandrababu Naidu at the party headquarters in Mangalagiri, soon after the announcement came from the YSR Congress office on his suspension from the party.
Backed by hundreds of supporters, Giridhar Reddy joined the party and said that they would work for the party’s victory in the coming election.