Another Cong MLA quits party in Telangana; to join ruling TRS

In a fresh setback to Congress in Telangana, another party MLA announced his decision Wednesday to quit the party and join the ruling TRS.

Jajula Surender, MLA from Yellareddy, met TRS working president K T Rama Rao here, TRS sources said.

In a statement, Surender appreciated the TRS government's development and welfare initiatives.

He said he has decided to join TRS after consulting all well wishers.

Announcing his decision to quit Congress, he said he would resign from the MLA post if necessary.

Surender is the 10th Congress MLA to announce his decision to leave the party and join TRS.

Congress had won 19 Assembly seats among the total 119 in the Assembly polls held in December last.

Hitting out at the TRS for allegedly encouraging defection of its MLAs, Congressrecently petitioned the Governor E S L Narasimhan on the issue.

The party said it would complain to Lokpal on the alleged defection of its MLAs to the ruling TRS.

Surender's decision came on a day Congress had cause for cheer after its senior leader T Jeevan Reddy emerged victorious in the MLC polls.

TRS sources also said TDP leader Kuna Venkatesam Goud, who unsuccessfully contested from Sanatnagar segment in Hyderabad in the Telangana Assembly polls in December last, also joined the ruling TRS on Wednesday.