YSRCP loses another MLA to TDP, complains to governor

With yet another MLA of YSR Congress Party switching loyalties to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, leader of opposition Y.S. Jaganmohan complained to the governor that the ruling party is buying the legislators.

Chand Basha, a member of assembly from Kadiri in Anantapur district, joined the TDP in the presence of party president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada.

Basha is the 13th legislator from the lone opposition party to defect to TDP.

YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy called on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan here, alleging that Naidu is buying his party MLAs with ill-gotten money. He claimed that each legislator is being paid Rs.20 crore to Rs.30 crore to switch loyalties.

He demanded a probe as to how Naidu is getting the money to buy the legislators.

The leader of opposition said he will also lodge a complaint with the president, the prime minister and the Election Commission on the issue.

He told reporters that the party will also fight a legal battle for disqualification of the legislators. Jagan alleged that Speaker Kodela Sivaprasad Rao is not disqualifying the members as he is also part of the conspiracy.

Jagan challenged the TDP to make the legislators resign and seek fresh mandate.

He alleged that the TDP is luring the MLAs with the offer of ministerial berths.

He said Naidu was buying the MLAs with the ill-gotten money in various projects. He claimed that there is corruption in construction of irrigation projects and sand mining. He reiterated that Naidu misled the people on the location of new state capital to favour his ministers and TDP leaders.

YSRCP had bagged 67 seats in 175-member assembly in 2014 elections. It is the lone opposition party in the state.

--IANS

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