Hyderabad: Though defections are not new in politics, there is a new trend in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states wherein Opposition leaders have adopted a “working relationship” with the ruling parties while retaining their memberships.
In the name of development of their constituency and the state, many legislators and MPs are moving away from the parties they got elected from. The ruling TRS and the TD have even appointed special teams of leaders entrusted with the job of luring legislators into the party folds.
The Constitution’s 10th Schedule deals with disqualifications on the ground of defections and it is normally expected from the leader to tender his resignation to the party and post before joining another party. And before admitting such leaders, political parties would also insist that they first resigned from the previous parties.
However, it is being seen these days that several Opposition members are switching their loyalties to the ruling establishments without resigning.
Now, sources in Telugu Desam say that at least 20 YSR Congress MLAs will either declare joining the TD in the guise of working relations with the state government, or will revolt against Mr Jagan
Mohan Reddy for his alleged dictatorial attitude and cause a political embarrassment.
Sources say that Kurnool MP Butta Renuka and Araku MP Kottapalli Geetha of the YSRC will soon come out of the party fold on the same pretext.
It is learnt that TD Rajya Sabha member C.M. Ramesh, who is a key associate of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is presently on the job of luring the YSR Congress legislators. He has been credited with bringing a few MPs and legislators into the TD fold already.
It all started with an open announcement by Nandyala YSR Congress MP S.P.Y. Reddy, who said that he wanted to work with the TD to do something good for his constituency.
Followed this, the YSR Congress had moved a petition seeking the disqualification of his membership and it is pending with the Lok Sabha Speaker.
Since then, the TD has admitted seven MLCs from different parties while the TRS has admitted eight Congress MLCs, two TD MLCs and two Independent MLCs besi-des one Congress MLA. The Congress, meanwhile, has approached the Legislative Council Cha-irman to disqualify them on the grounds of defection. Most of the MLCs who joined the TD or the TRS are to retire in 2015 and it is being rumoured they have all been assured to be accommodated in next year’s polls for another term.
