YSRCP cries foul over ‘poaching’

• TDP seen as trying to weaken oppn party
• YSRCP flays TDP move as ‘immoral’ and ‘undemocratic’
• TDP leaders say they have majority, not keen on poaching
• SPY Reddy is ready for fresh polls again, sure of victory

Hyderabad: In what is seen as a first attempt to demoralise its rivals and weaken the opposition party in the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) seems to be making quick moves to woo the MPs and MLAs from rival parties. The TDP, however, denies that it is resorting to poaching leaders from other parties.

Speaking to the media, the party leader CM Ramesh said, “TDP has majority on its own and it need not even think of poaching MPs and MLAs from rival parties. The party has not done any efforts to bring leaders from other parties unlike ‘Operation Akarsh’, which was launched by Y S Rajasekhara Reddy after he came to power in 2004. At that time, he had resorted to intimidation of TDP workers and leaders, foisted cases against them and tried to lure them with money.”

He added that TDP was not interested in doing any such thing. He said that SPY Reddy had expressed his desire to quit YSRCP irrespective of the consequences he might have to face which could include disqualification. Ramesh claimed that many more YSRC MPs and MLAs were in touch with the TDP and were keen to join the party. Another party leader Y Ramakrishnudu told media in New Delhi that the Anti Defection Law would not be applicable to SPY Reddy since YSRCP was not a recognised party. It was only a registered party, he said.

However, the Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath told the media that according to 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India the Anti Defection Law was applicable even to registered political parties which were yet to be recognised. When asked about it, SPY Reddy said that he was ready to face the elections again and was confident that he would win with greater majority. He claimed that he was re-elected from Nandyal in the recently-held general polls because of his personal image and not because of Jaganmohan Reddy's charisma.

It may be mentioned here that the YSRC had won eight out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in Seemandhra in the recently-held general polls. TDP bagged 15 whereas its ally BJP had won two. Taking strong exception to the “poaching” by the TDP, YSRC MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy (Nellore) and party senior leader M V Mysura Reddy alleged that the TDP was resorting to undemocratic and immoral practices.