Two more YSRC MLAs join TDP taking to 16 the total who left party

VIJAYAWADA: The strength of YSR Congress dwindled further in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly as two more of its MLAs today switched over to the ruling TDP, taking the total number of legislators to quit the party so far to 16.

Apart from the sitting MLAs, a former legislator also joined the TDP.

YSRC's Srisailam MLA Budda Rajasekhar Reddy and Araku Valley MLA K Sarveswara Rao were admitted to the TDP fold by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at separate functions here.

Former MLA Gandi Babji also joined the TDP.

He was a close follower of late Congress veteran and and former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and represented Pendurthi constituency in Visakhapatnam district from 2004 to 2009.

The cross over of legislators from the YSRC began in February this year when four of them crossed over to the ruling party.

Since then there has been a steady exit of legislators from the opposition party.

With today's development, the YSRC's strength in the 176-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly came down from 67 to 51.

The YSRC has suffered heavy damage in Kurnool district, one of its bastions, as four out of its 11 MLAs have deserted it.

In Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's native Kadapa district, two MLAs walked out and another two each from East Godavari and Prakasam districts followed suit.

One MLA each from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Krishna, SPS Nellore and Anantapuramu also crossed over to the TDP.

Meanwhile, TDP sources said that veteran Congress leader and former minister Gade Venkata Reddy from Guntur district and another former minister P Maheedhar Reddy from Prakasam district are likely to join the party soon.