Naidu delivers another blow to Jagan; TDP wrests MLC seat in 'cross-voting'

In a shocking result for party chief and CM Jaganmohan Reddy, the TDP managed to win the lone seat it contested

After the surprising victory in three graduate MLC constituencies last week, the Opposition TDP has delivered another major blow to the ruling YSRCP by wresting one MLA quota MLC seat on Thursday.

In a shocking result for party chief and Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, the TDP managed to win the lone seat it contested despite the numbers visibly stacked in favour of YSRCP.

The YSRCP alleged 'the cross-voting' as a result of “the horse trading resorted to by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.”

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Nevertheless, the back-to-back defeats, analysts say, would force Jagan, who has set an ambitious target of winning all the 175 seats in next year's polls, to re-evaluate his strengths.

Elections for seven Member of Legislative Council seats under the MLA vote quota were held in a secret ballot on Thursday in the state legislature building at Amaravati.

In the 175-seated Assembly, each contestant needed at least 22 votes to win.

While the YSRCP, which apparently had the required numbers, put up seven candidates hoping for a comfortable win, the TDP fielded its woman leader from a Backward Class, Panchumarthi Anuradha, in hope of attracting a few dissenters from the ruling side to vote in its favour.

The YSRCP had won 151 seats in the 2019 Assembly polls, but four TDP MLAs switched loyalties, even as they officially continue as TDP legislators. This has reduced the effective strength of Naidu's party to 19.

However, the Opposition leader was counting on the votes of two dissident YSRCP MLAs — Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, while manifestly strategising to attract one or two more YSRCP dissidents to vote for his candidate.

Adding the lone Janasena MLA backing and discounting the two dissidents, the YSRCP still appeared to have the support of 154 MLAs, the magic figure required for a smooth sail.

The results that came in the evening showed otherwise.

“The TDP, it is very clear, has resorted to horse-trading, luring our MLAs,” YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy told reporters while refusing to reveal the names of the two cross-voters.

However, the TDP leaders and cadres, who were tasting continuous defeats since 2019, erupted in joy, cutting cakes, sharing sweets and bursting crackers.

“This is the faith imposed on Chandrababu Naidu, by the graduates in the MLC polls last week and by the legislators today,” said TDP senior leader and MLA Payyavula Keshav.