Don't drag me to Naidu's level, Jagan tells his men

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is learned to have given a strict warning to his party leaders, including some MLAs and MLCs on Sunday.

He had reportedly asked them not to stoop him down to the level of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu by encouraging defections.

The Chief Minister was said to be angry with the party leaders who have tried to inform him that a dozen of the TDP MLCs were ready to cross fence or sit away from the TDP supporting the government bills and there was no need for the government to scrap the Legislative Council.

The YSR Congress leaders seem to have taken advantage of the discontentment increasing in the Opposition TDP in the light of the chief minister giving hints on abolishing the Legislative Council and had slated the issue for discussion in the Monday’s cabinet meeting and the subsequent Legislative Assembly meet. Readmore!

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There are nearly a dozen MLCs out of the 28 from the TDP who are ready to split the party and support the government to carry out the government business, including the APCRDA repeal bill and the decentralisation of administration bill, which were referred to the Select Committee by the chairman.

Though the TDP is making all out efforts to save its MLCs, these disgruntled members were not infavour of losing their privileges and have reportedly offered their support to the Government.

Jagan Mohan Reddy is firm on scrapping the Council and was not ready to encourage any defections and hence learned to have given a strict warning to his leaders.

Party secretary and advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy had told media persons that there were at least 10 MLAs also from the TDP who are ready to move away from the party and sit as separate group in the Assembly.

Similarly, there are almost equal number of MLCs in the TDP to for a separate group. However, he said his party and his leader were not ready to encourage the floor crossing.

Given these developments, it is clear that the ruling party is ready to table a draft bill in the Assembly this morning duly passed by the cabinet to abolish the Legislative Council.

It might take a few months for the government to get the bill passed by the Parliament and get the nod of the President to close the doors of the Upper House.