Another jolt to Desam as 3 MLAs break ranks

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Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu, reeling from the bypolls disaster, received another setback on Thursday when five party legislators broke ranks and voted in the Presidential election. The party had decided to abstain from the voting.

The biggest shock was the decision of Nuzvid legislator Chinnam Ramakotaiah to join the rebels. Mr Harishwar Reddy and Dr S. Venugopala Chari, who are in “hibernation”, turned up to vote, as did Mr Kodali Nani, who is under suspension, and Mantralayam legislator Bala Nagi Reddy, who is facing disqualification proceedings.

Mr Ramakotaiah, who had announced that he would vote for UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee, is the second TD MLA who is likely to defect, most likely to the Congress. Gudivada MLA Kodali Sri Venka-teswara Rao alias Nani had dumped Mr Naidu recently and joined the YSR Congress. “I cast my vote as per my conscience. I feel it’s my duty,” said Mr Nani after voting. Mr Naidu did not take any immediate action against Mr Ramakotaiah since the party whip does not apply to Presidential polls Neither he, nor any of the other rebels, can be suspended for casting their vote in the election. The party will meet soon to decide its stand on the matter, TD leaders said.

Desam to take action after discussions
“The Telugu Desam will discuss the issue and take action at an appropriate time. Chinnam Ramak-otaiah ignored the party’s decision and participated in the elections. Some other MLAs like Mr Bala Nagi Reddy and Mr Harishwar Reddy are technically with the party,” said Mr Varla Ramaiah, general secretary of the TD.

Adding insult to injury, Mr Ramakotaiah arrived at the Assembly premises with Krishna district Congress MLAs Malladi Vishnu, Minister Partha-sarathy, Jogi Ramesh and others. Meanwhile, YSR Congress MLAs Dharmana Krishna Das, Srikanth Reddy and others refuted the TD charge that the party had bartered their support for Mr Pranab Mukherjee and the Congress to win bail for Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.