: YSR Congress MLA from Giddalur —M. Ashok Reddy —on Thursday held discussions with his followers on joining the ruling Telugu Desam Party.
A majority of his followers from Giddalur and Racherla mandals gave him a “free hand” to take a decision in the best interest of people of the constituency, sources close to the MLA told The Hindu.
They impressed upon the MLA to take an assurance from the ruling party that funds would be released liberally for development of the drought-prone constituency, they added.
The discussions remained inconclusive. He would hold further consultations with second rung leaders in the mandals of Kumarole, Bestavaripeta, Cumbum and Ardhaveedu mandals later during the week, they added.
Confirming that the TDP was in touch with two YSRC MLAs, including Mr. Ashok Reddy, a senior TDP leader on condition of anonymity said they expected their efforts to fructify ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections to fill two vacancies from the State next month.
The YSRC in the district, which won a maximum of six Assembly seats as against five MLA seats by the TDP, received a jolt when its Addanki MLA G. Ravikumar chose to cross over to the TDP in the wake of the YSRC MLA from Yerragondapalem — P. David Raju —joining the ruling party.
Karnam unhappy
Meanwhile, TDP State vice-president Karnam Balarama Krishnamoorthy found fault with the party for indiscriminately admitting YSRC MLAs into the party without understanding the feelings of the party workers who had fought against the former Congressmen.
While partymen would not have objection to taking back those who had been in the TDP and defected to the YSRC on poll eve, they could not digest admission of those who had enjoyed power for 10 years during the erstwhile Congress regimes and joined the YSRC on the poll eve, he said.
Mr. Ravikumar, who was elected to the Assembly twice on the Congress ticket and once on the YSRC ticket, had defected to the TDP last month. It was homecoming for Yerragondapalem Mr. David Raju, who was the first YSRC MLA from the district to join the TDP. Mr. David Raju began his political career in the TDP and rose from the party ranks to become a member of the Mandal Praja Parishad and Chairman of the Zilla Parishad before winning as a legislator in 1999 from the S.N. Padu (SC reserved) constituency.
Followers of Ashok Reddy give him a ‘free hand’ to take a decision in the interest of the people
