Just two days ahead of his planned Padayatra, YCP Chief Jaganmohan Reddy received a huge jolt as one of his party’s MLAs joined TDP this morning.
YSRCP MLA Vantala Rajeshwari, who represents Rampachodavaram Assembly constituency in East Godavari district, joined TDP on Saturday in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at his residence in Amaravati. With her joining, the number of YCP MLAs, who have defected to TDP has risen to 22.
This is being termed by political analysts as a huge blow to Jagan not just because it happened right before he is set to commence 8-month Padayatra but also because Rajeshwari is an Agency MLA. In the 2014 assembly elections, YCP had clean swept all Agency constituencies, and YCP has now lost their first and TDP has got their first Agency MLA in the form of Rajeshwari.
YCP cadres have alleged that the TDP is scared of Jagan and YCP winning support of people during the course of Padayatra, and hence the ruling party is trying to weaken their party by hook or crook. It is known that the YSRCP has declared not to attend winter Assembly sessions protesting against the inaction of TDP government against political defectors.
Buzz in political circles says that TDP has begun the second round of Operation Akarsh, and a few more YCP MLAs (4-5 from Rayalaseema region and 3 from Uttarandhra region) are in talks to join TDP very soon.
