Hyderabad: Weeks before the simultaneous elections to the state assembly as well as Parliament in Andhra Pradesh, the ruling Telugu Desam Party suffered another setback with its MP from Anakapalle Avanti Srinivas quitting the party.
Later he joined the YSR Congress party in Hyderabad. YSRCP president Jaganmohan Reddy formally welcomed him into the party fold at a programme at his residence in Hyderabad.
This has come a day after a Member of Legislative Assembly A Krishna Mohan announced his resignation from Telugu Desam. Krishna Mohan who represents Chirala constituency in Prakasham district was also likely to join YSRCP. He announced his resignation after meeting Reddy in Hyderabad.
Avanti Srinivas, who sent his resignation from the primary membership of the party to the TDP President Chandrababu Naidu said the Centre did not give Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh because of failure of the TDP MPs to resign.
“If the TDP MPs had resigned along with the YSRCP MPs, Centre would have been forced to give the SCS. But Naidu did not listen to me”, he said.
However TDP President and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu put up a brave front and dismissed the resignations as “inconsequential”.
Addressing party leaders in a teleconference, Naidu called the leaders “opportunists”. “Such leaders keep coming and going at the time of elections. They will not make any difference”.
Naidu expressed confidence that by virtue of the good work, developmental and welfare policies the Telugu Desam will return to power for the second term.
