The Telugu Desam Party led by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu seems to be heading for a split in the state legislative council, following a threat of abolition of the upper house by the YSR Congress party government.
Naidu called for a TD legislature party meeting on Sunday to work out the strategy to be adopted in the assembly on Monday when the YSRC government is likely to introduce a resolution to wind up the legislative council, as many as four MLCs abstained from the meeting.
Gali Saraswati from Chittoor, G Tippe Swamy from Anantapur, K E Prabhakar from Kurnool and Satrucherla Vijayarama Raju from Vizianagaram informed the party leadership that they were not able to come to the meeting due to “personal reasons.”
Information is that they might quit the TDP. Already, Dokka Manikya Varaprasad announced his resignation from the MLC seat, while P Samanthakamani also stayed away from the meeting on the pretext of ill-health.
Two other MLCs – Pothula Sunitha and D Shivanath Reddy – defied the party whip and voted for the YSRC in the council during the debate on Rule 71. Sunitha already joined the YSRC and Shivnath Reddy is also all set to join.
There is a talk that at least another four MLCs might shift loyalties to the YSRC by Monday morning. If it happens, it will be a big split in the TDP.
Besides, three independents also might defect to the YSRC. If the YSRC gets enough numbers in the lower house, it might not go in for abolition of the legislative council.