Telugu Desam MLA from Kamareddy in Nizamabad district, Gampa Govardhan, resigned from the membership of Andhra Pradesh Assembly besides quitting the party today protesting its “ambivalent” stand on the Telangana statehood issue.
Mr. Govardhan submitted his resignation to the Legislature Secretariat on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day Govardhan sent his resignation letter by fax to the TDP headquarters NTR Bhavan this morning, party sources said.
The MLA is set to join the separatist Telangana Rashtra Samiti. “Despite a clear sentiment for a separate state, the TDP has failed to come out with a clear stand on Telangana. Hence, I have decided to quit the party,” Mr. Govardhan said in his resignation letter.
The legislator met TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao two days ago sparking speculation that he was ready to switch sides. He did not turn up at the Telugu Desam Legislature Party office yesterday when 32 other TDP MLAs submitted their resignations to Legislature Secretary on the statehood issue.
Mr. Govardhan becomes the second legislator after Pocharam Srinivas Reddy from Nizamabad district to quit TDP and join TRS. Mr. Pocharam is now contesting the by-election, caused by his own resignation, from Banswada constituency on behalf the TRS.
Telugu Desam Telangana Forum convenor Errabilli Dayakar Rao alleged that KCR was using coercive tactics to lure TDP MLAs into TRS. TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu, however, is said to have remarked that the exit of one or two MLAs would not affect the party.
