1 more YSRC MLA joins ruling TDP in AP

One more MLA from the YSR Congress today crossed over to the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, taking the total number of defectors to 13. Attar Chand Basha, MLA from Kadiri constituency in Anantapuramu district, joined the ruling party in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here this morning. The move comes even as Leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy met Governor E S L Narasimhan in Hyderabad to complain about the 'purchasing' of his legislators by the ruling party. Local leaders of YSRC from Kadiri also joined the TDP along with Basha. Like his 12 other colleagues, who claimed they deserted the lone opposition party for the sake of "development", Basha too said he joined the TDP for the development of his constituency. It may be recalled that exodus of MLAs from YSRC began on February 22 when four of them crossed over to the TDP. Since then, legislators have been switching to the ruling party at regular intervals with the number now touching 13. The YSRC submitted a petition to Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao seeking disqualification of the defectors. It also sought to build a case against them by issuing a whip for voting on two no-confidence motions (one each against the government and the Speaker) in the Budget session last month but the TDP outwitted the YSRC in the political game. Though it eventually issued a whip to its members for voting against the Appropriation Bill, the YSRC's strategy fell flat as "rules" did not permit voting. As his legislators continue to ditch him, a baffled Jagan petitioned the Governor against the "immoral" acts of the TDP in luring and 'purchasing' the opposition MLAs and sought action against Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.