Breakaway TDP MLAs Seek Merger Into TRS

The ten TDP legislators who have defected to the ruling TRS today urged Telangana Assembly Speaker Sirikonda Madhusudhana Chary to merge their group into the TRS.

With 10 of the 15 Telangana TDP MLAs joining the TRS, action against them under the Anti-Defection Law cannot be initiated as two-thirds of the MLAs have shifted to the TRS.

A letter seeking the merger of the breakaway TDP group with the TRS was handed over to the speaker, signed by all ten MLAs. It was informed that the breakaway group had a meeting in Telangana Bhavan on Thursday and a decision was taken in this regard.

They also urged the Speaker to recognize them as TRS members in the House.

The letter was signed by Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, G Sayanna, Prakash Goud, Teegala Krishna Reddy, Manchireddy Kishan Reddy, Madhavaram Krishna Rao, K P Vivekanand Goud, Dharma Reddy and Rajender Reddy.

The TDP is now left with five MLAs. Of them Sandra Venkata Veeraiah is likely to join the TRS ahead of the Khammam Municipal Corporation elections. Arikapudi Gandhi, too, is all set to join the TRS. Greater Hyderabad TDP chief Maganti Gopinath, too, is reportedly waiting for an offer from the TRS.

After these three MLAs cross over to the ruling Party, only Revanth Reddy and R Krishnaiah would remain in the TDP. It may be mentioned R Krishnaiah has claimed that he does not belong to any Party, and is only a BC leader. He is already keeping away from the TDP.

The TDP's fall in Telangana began with senior leader Tummala Nageswara Rao joining the TRS. With his departure, the Khammam unit of the Party crumbled. The TRS then zeroed in on the TDP's Greater Hyderabad MLAs, and roped in both Talasani and Teegala. Later, Madhavaram, Sayanna and Manchireddy, too, joined the TRS.