Four MPs backing saffron party will boost its strength in Upper House; Telugu Desam Party strength reduced to just two
In a setback for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), four of its six Rajya Sabha members of Parliament have split from the party and are set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The TDP legislators met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu to submit the letter to merge TDP Legislature Party with the BJP. Their decision to back the BJP will give a boost to the saffron party in the Upper House as the ruling National Democratic Alliance does not have a majority there yet.
The Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members and the BJP is the single largest party with 71 MPs.
After meeting Vice President Naidu, TDP MPs YS Chowdary, CM Ramesh, TG Venkatesh joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP working president JP Nadda. TDP Rajya Sabha MP GM Rao will join the party formally later as he is unwell. Speaking to a news agency, Venkatesh had earlier said: "I will join BJP. I have been a former member of ABVP and BJP youth wing".
‘CRISIS NOT NEW’
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- The TDP, which is led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has six members in the Upper House of Parliament.
- As four of his party Rajya Sabha MPs joined the BJP, Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu who is in Europe vacationing said such crises were not new to the party.
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The four TDP MPs said in a resolution that the Legislature Party of TDP in Rajya Sabha met today under the Leadership of legislature Party's leader Y S Chowdary and Legislature Party's Deputy Leader Shri C M Rajesh. The resolution also said that the four of them have decided to merge with the BJP after getting inspired and encouraged by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The TDP, which is led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has six members in the Upper House of Parliament. With four of them breaking away, it meets the legal requirement of anti-defection law, which mandates the support of at least two-third members for a split to be recognised in Parliament.
As four of his party Rajya Sabha MPs joined the BJP, Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said such crises were not new to the party.
Taking stock of the situation, Naidu, who is vacationing in Europe, spoke to a couple of senior party leaders here over phone, party sources said. Naidu enquired about the rebellion and told the leaders that such crises were not new to TDP, they said.
TDP fought with the BJP only for securing the state's interests, the sources quoted him as having said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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