There was little surprise in the four Rajya Sabha members leaving the Telugu Desam for the BJP. After its worst-ever performance in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, TD leaders are nervous about their future. Defeat isn't new to them; it was in Opposition for a decade from 2004 but party leaders and cadre hadn't lost hope. It's different now. TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu is 70, while his key Andhra rival, YSRC president and chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is just 46. As with all regional parties, Mr Naidu hasn't allowed a second line of leadership to grow, hoping to leave the mantle to son Nara Lokesh, who hasn't proved himself. Who will lead the party in the next elections when Mr Naidu will be 75 is a big question.
Of the four MPs who defected on Thursday, Y.S. Chowdary and C.M. Ramesh were pillars of support for Mr Naidu when the party was out of power. Mr Chowdary spent his own money on the party and Mr Ramesh funded it after it came to power in 2014. They have clearly opted to join the BJP seeking shelter against Central investigative agencies. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has taken aim at fraudulent contracts to build irrigation projects, wasn't willing to accept them.
Mr Naidu is known for his political strategising, specially when the party is in a crisis. The YSRC has alleged Mr Naidu himself sent Mr Chowdary and Mr Ramesh to the BJP as part of this strategy. It says they will be Mr Naidu's eyes and ears in the BJP. Amid talk of MLAs defecting to the BJP in Andhra Pradesh, it remains to be seen if that view will hold.
