Another YSRC MLA joins TDP; sixth cross-over in a week

VIJAYWADA: YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy suffered another setback today as one more MLA from his camp crossed over to the ruling Telugu Desam, this time from Prakasam district, taking the total number of MLAs who have crossed over in the last one week to six.

Yerragondapalem MLA P David Raju met TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the latter's riverfront residence here today and "returned" to the party.

"I had served in TDP for 24 years previously. I have returned to the party in deference to the wishes of my constituency people," David Raju told newsmen, emerging out of Chandrababu's residence.

David Raju had been the chairman of Prakasam Zilla Parishad and also an MLA when he was in the TDP.

In 2014, he joined the YSRC and got elected from Yerragondapalem.

Two MLAs each from Kurnool and Kadapa districts, one from Vijayawada and now another from Prakasam district have defected from the YSRC to the TDP since Monday last. One MLC from Kadapa also joined the ruling party.

The opposition party's strength in the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly has fallen to 61 because of the cross over of the MLAs, while the TDP's number has risen to 110.

Accusing Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of "alluring and purchasing" some of his party MLAs, the YSR Congress president had last week dared him to get the defected legislators to resign from their posts and seek a fresh mandate.