YSRCP suffers jolt as Nandyal MP joins TDP

Hyderabad, May 25 : The YSR Congress Party received a major jolt with one of its MPs, SPY Reddy, joining the Telugu Desam Party here on Sunday.

SPY Reddy was elected on YSRCP ticket from Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency in the recently concluded elections. However, he decided to switch loyalties and joined the TDP in the presence of its president N Chandrababu Naidu in New Delhi. Speaking to media persons later, Reddy claimed that he was elected from Nandyal due his popularity in the constituency and not due to the YSRCP. He said he joined the TDP to bring development in his constituency.

SPY Reddy, who was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009 on Congress ticket, quit the party last year after it announced its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. Later, he joined the YSRCP and contested the 2014 General Elections from Nandyal. However, barely 10 days after the announcement of results he changed his loyalties.

Meanwhile, Neelakantham, another YSRCP leader and husband of Kurnool MP Butta Renuka, joined the TDP on Sunday. There are reports that his wife and YSRCP MP Renuka too might join the TDP in near future.

Speaking to media persons, TDP leader CM Ramesh claimed that several YSRCP legislators and MPs have expressed their desire to join the TDP.

It may be mentioned that the TDP had won 15 Lok Sabha and 102 Assembly seats in the Seemandhra region in the recently concluded elections. The YSRCP had won eight Lok Sabha and 67 Assembly seats. The BJP had won two Lok Sabha seats in the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh.  INN