7 Cong MLCs join TDP

As many as seven members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council joined the Telugu Desam Party.

After meeting TDP president Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday morning, the seven Congress MLCs -Chaitanya Raju, Ravi Varma, Ailapuram Venkaiah, Shaik Hussain, Reddappa Reddy, B Pullaiah and Gade Srinivasulu Naidu- joined the TDP in the evening at the party office.

YSR Congress spokesman Jupudi Prabhakar Rao surprised everyone by shifting his allegiance to TDP, the party he had been bitterly critical about for a long time.

“We have joined TDP as it would help us do something for our constituency,” Chaitanya Raju said.

TDP Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh said six Congress, two YSRC and an independent MLC expressed confidence in Chandrababu Naidu “as the only leader capable of rebuilding Andhra Pradesh.”

Despite enjoying a majority of 102 in the 175-strong state Assembly, the TDP has barely seven members in the council of elders, and needs more members to push legislations.