In 2010, a record number of 80 MLA's changed parties
AP Secretariat---- FILE PHOTO
Hyderabad: Shifting loyalties and changing parties is common in Indian politics. But the 13th Andhra Pradesh State Assembly has created history in the country for the most number of MLAs who have changed parties.
In the last five years, more than 80 MLAs changed parties. Some more may do so in the next few days. Six MPs also changed parties. Those who won as Congress MLAs in the 2009 Assembly election have switched over to the YSR Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti. Telugu Desam MLAs have moved to the TRS and the Congress.
Seemandhra MLAs have accorded first priority to the YSRC and second to the TD. In Telangana, MLAs gave the first priority to the TRS and second to the Congress.This migration of MLAs has been beneficial for the YSRC and the TRS, while the Congress and the TD are heavy losers. Some MLAs have changed three parties in the last five years.
The YSRC started with one MLA and one MP; now it has 30 MLAs and three MPs. In the 2009 Assembly elections, the TRS won only 11 seats out of 119, but it has more than 25 MLAs today. So frequent was the floor crossing that when voting was to be held on any subject, the leadership of the respective parties were confused about the number of MLAs they had. Some Congress MLAs joined the YSRC but as per Assembly records they were still Congress MLAs.
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