As TDP wins 1 MLC seat against all odds, YSRCP suspends 4 MLAs for ‘cross-voting’

With all four said to be sulking, YSRCP accused TDP of luring them with Rs 15-20 crore each; TDP only has 19 MLAs in the 175-member Andhra Assembly

Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP chief (File)

As the election season heats up in Andhra Pradesh, the ruling YSRCP on Friday suspended four of its MLAs for allegedly cross-voting in the election for seven MLC seats held a day earlier, accusing the TDP of using money to influence them.

YSRCP general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy announced the suspension of Undavalli Sridevi (Tadikonda Assembly seat), Kotam Reddy Sridhar Reddy (Nellore Rural), Mekapati Chandrashekhar Reddy (Udayagiri) and Anam Ramanarayan Reddy (Venkatagiri).

In Thursday’s MLC election for seven vacant seats, the YSRCP won six, while the TDP which has only 19 MLAs won one seat. Against all odds, Panchumurthi Anuradha of the TDP won, allegedly with the help of votes from the four YSRCP MLAs.

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“We have conducted an internal investigation on the cross-voting. We have taken action against the four MLAs only after that. They were suspended for violating the party’s whip in the MLC elections. According to our information, money has been exchanged. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu offered Rs 15-20 crore to each MLA,” Sajjala said. All four MLAs denied the allegations.

Sajjala added that the TDP might have also promised tickets to those cross-voted.

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The four accused MLAs have already been going against the party for months. On February 1, two-time YSRCP MLA from Nellore Rural Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy had announced his resignation from the party, after accusing the government of tapping his phones. His resignation was not accepted and he was not suspended from the party. Ahead of the MLC polls, YSRCP leaders reached out to him with a message to vote for party candidates.

“I don’t know what I’m being suspected of, but I have plenty of evidence that my phones are being tapped. Some people tell me that I’m in touch with leaders of other parties. I’m hurt that I’m being suspected. I can’t continue in a party that suspects me,” Kotamreddy said Friday. “I have been an YSR family loyalist for nearly 30 years. I have been with Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy through his good and bad times. But I’m very aggrieved that the party is tapping my phones,” he added.

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Venkatagiri (Tirupati district) MLA Anam Ramanaryana Reddy had gone incommunicado for several days this month. Sources said he was angry at YSRCP district in-charges for interfering in his administrative work and giving negative reports on his performance.

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The YSRCP had apparently given hints to Mekapati Chandrashekhar Reddy that he may not be repeated for the Vidhan Sabha polls, though he could be nominated as an MLC, due to which he had removed all YSRCP hoardings and banners from his office.

Sridevi denied the allegations of cross-voting. “I don’t know why my name has been linked to this. I’m a loyal party worker. I met the CM just before the election. It was a secret ballot, so how did the party leaders figure out who cross-voted? These allegations are not true,” she said. Sridevi had also been given hints by district incharges that her performance was not up to the mark and she may be renominated.