Jolt to TDP as another legislator joins TRS

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana received a jolt on Tuesday as another of its legislator joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

K.P. Vivekanand, who represents Quthbullapur assembly constituency in Greater Hyderabad, met Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao and joined the party.

Vivekanand said he joined the TRS as it is the only party which could ensure development of the state.

The development came close on the heels of the TDP's crushing defeat in the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

The TDP bagged only one seat and its alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) four seats in 150-member GHMC.

The TDP received the blow at a time when it is preparing for by-election to the state assembly from the Naraynkhed constituency on February 13.

Vivekanand is the sixth TDP legislator from GHMC to switch loyalties to the TRS since 2014.

The TDP had bagged nine out of 24 assembly seats in the GHMC limits in 2014 elections.

More than a dozen legislators of both the Congress and TDP have crossed over to the TRS during last one-and-half years.

Meanwhile, the lone TDP corporator in the GHMC is likely to meet the chief minister on Tuesday. Srinivas Rao, who was elected from KPHB division, may formally join the TRS.

The ruling party scored landslide victory in last week's elections to the GHMC, winning 99 seats.