The YSR Congress (YSRC) party received yet another jolt as Vantala Rajeswari, MLA from the Rampachodavaram (ST) constituency in East Godavari district, joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the presence of its National President and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at his residence here on Saturday.
Ms. Rajeswari’s exit came just two days before party chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy begins his ‘Praja Sankalpam’ Padayatra from Idupulapaya in Kadapa district. With this, the number of MLAs who switched loyalties to the ruling party reached 22 barely a week ahead of the commencement of the Assembly session, which Mr. Reddy wanted to attend only if action is taken against the defectors.
Speaking to media persons at the CM’s residence, Ms. Rajeswari said Mr. Reddy was not bothered about the development of her constituency and did not even give her the opportunity to speak in the Assembly, which was tantamount to depriving her of the right to raise issues of public concern.
She was impressed by Mr. Naidu’s leadership and expressed confidence that he would extend all help in developing her constituency by giving funds under the ST Sub-Plan and other schemes as he promised while welcoming her into the TDP.
Last week, Mr. Reddy called upon the YSRC MLAs to stay away from the Assembly session if the Speaker does not disqualify those who sided with the TDP but continued as members of the Assembly. It remains to be seen whether the YSRC will make the Assembly session a single-party affair or change its tack at the eleventh hour.