Hyderabad: The YSR Congress put up a brave face on Sunday after two party MPs, S.P.Y. Reddy and Butta Renuka, defected to the TD and alleged that the TD was resorting to “unethical and undemocratic practices.”
YSRC leaders M.V. Mysoora Reddy and Mekapati Rajmohan Reddy alleged that TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu instead of delivering on promises like waiver of farm and Dwcra loans, was focusing on poaching MPs from other parties. They also said that other MPs or MLAs would leave the party too.
Mr Rajmohan Reddy said, “It is immoral and unethical for the TD to poach on YSRC turf despite having a comfortable majority and even before the swearing-in ceremony. By encouraging defections, Mr Naidu is showing the values and democratic principles he has.” He demanded the MPs quit their seats and seek fresh mandate.
“The TD must be in a hurry and wants to swell its strength by luring elected representatives from our party by citing our status (as a non-recognised party), but with the percentage of votes we have acquired, anyone crossing the floor will face the anti-defection law. Even I crossed over from the Congress to the YSRC, but quit my seat immediately. My resignation was kept pending for a long time. I was elected from the party to which I moved, and this is a fair democratic practice,” Mr Rajmohan Reddy said.
Meanwhile, Khammam MP P. Srinivas Reddy and Araku MP Kotta-palli Geeta affirmed that they would not be leaving the YSRC. Ms Geetha dismissed rumours that she would jump parties. “I have friends in the TD and some of them called me up to congratulate me on my victory. No one approached me to cross over. Such offers will be declined,” she said.
She said that since Mr Narendra Modi had been elected on the development plank, fund flow to the tribal areas would be monitored. “We will work for the welfare of tribals,” she said.
