Two More TDP MLAs Defect To TRS

As expected, two more Telugu Desam MLAs Maganti Gopinath and Arikepudi Gandhi today formally joined the ruling TRS at the CM's camp office.

TRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao welcomed them into the Party fold by offering them traditional pink shawls.

All 12 TDP MLAs who defected to the ruling party later met the Chief Minister. They include Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, G Sayanna, T Prakash Goud, Teegala Krishna Reddy, Manchireddy Kishan Reddy, Madhavaram Krishna Rao, KP Vivekananda, Challa Dharma Reddy, S Rajender Reddy, Maganti Gopinath and A Gandhi.

Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary had earlier taken a decision to merge the 12 TDP leaders into the ruling Party in response to a letter written by Errabelli Dayakar Rao, and allotted them seats in the Treasury benches (as the rows of seats occupied by MLAs of the ruling Party are referred to).

Later, Maganti Gopinath said that he had served the Telugu Desam Party for 34 years with commitment. He said that he was apologetic for switching loyalties as it might hurt the sentiments of the Telugu Desam Party. The decision to defect to the TRS was to serve the cause of the people of his Jubilee Hills constituency better, he said.

"Despite having respect for my parent Party, I took the decision to meet the objective of the TRS government to make Hyderabad a global destination and transform the State into a golden Telangana. I will strive to develop my Assembly segment by involving TRS leaders and activists," he said.

Arikepudi Gandhi also made similar noises, saying he had crossed over to the ruling Party for the cause of the development of his Serilingampally constituency. "I served the TDP with total dedication for a long time. But as per the people's aspirations and for the development of my constituency, I took the decision to join the TRS," he said.