In a setback to the YSR Congress Party, Gudiwada Municipal Chairman Y Srinivas Rao today along with nine councillors defected to the ruling TDP in the presence of Party's National President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. As per reports, YSRCP leader Kodali Nani tried his best to prevent Party councillors from joining the TDP, but in vain.
According to political analysts, this political development indicated that the ruling party was trying to capture the Gudiwada Municipal Council in which the YSR Congress was 20 members strong after the death of one of its councillor Ganapati Laxman Rao, while the TDP had only 15 councillors.
With nine councilors defecting the ruling party, the TDP now has a competitive edge over the YSRCP in the Gudiwada council.