DEFECTORS " MACHIAVELLIAN PLAN" TO ESCAPE FACE BY-ELECTIONS!!

This question has been a topic of discussion in various circles, especially after Talasani Srinivas Yadav, a proclaimed loyalist of Chandrababu Naidu, ditched him and joined TRS to become a member of the KCR cabinet. What was intriguing was that even after Srinivas Yadav claimed that he had resigned from TDP as well as Assembly, he was inducted as a minister.

            While the TDP leaders raised a hue and cry over Srinivas Yadav's induction in the TRS ministry as he continued to be an MLA belonging to the party since his resignation was seeped in mystery and suspense with no announcement from the Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker S. Madhusudana Chary, the other opposition parties, especially the Congress, demanded a by-election to the Sanathnagar Constituency from where Talasani was elected as a TDP nominee in 2014 elections.

            Till now as many as 10 MLAs who got elected as TDP nominees had defected to the TRS. Thus out of 15 MLAs only 5 are now continuing to remain with the TDP though there were speculations that others too would jump the ship at an opportune time. There is no denial of the fact those who have deserted the TDP to join TRS have done so after carefully weighing various options in order to avoid from being disqualified under the Anti-Defection Law. Only after fully ascertaining that the TRS leadership would safeguard and protect their interests and political career, these turncoat politicians shifted their loyalties.

            With a well-hatched game plan the TRS leadership encouraged senior TDP leaders like Srinivas Yadav, Teegala Krishna Reddy and others from the GHMCH limits with an eye on the GHMC, one of the biggest corporations in the country. Thus one by one TDP leaders began defecting to TRS ostensibly on an assurance that they need not be worried about any action under the Anti-defection Law. The desertion of as many as four MLA from TDP to TRS soon after the pink party captured power in GHMC amply speaks of the Machiavellian plan formulated in advance to defunct the



anti-defection law.

            As expected the Erraballi Dayakar Rao, who was the Leader of the TTDP Legislature party addressed a letter to the Assembly Speaker pointing that since 10 TDP members, which is two thirds of the total TDP strength of 15 MLAs, have joined the TRS, the TTDP Legislature Party should be now merged with TRS Legislature Party. As TTDLP leader he was writing this letter to the Speaker to take appropriate action forthwith.

            The TDP which has trounced the Congress in the undivided Andhra Pradesh soon after its political arengetram in 1982 and ruled the undivided state for over 17 years is now in shambles in the Telangana State though it is in power in its sibling state of AP. The party is now left with only with five MLAs in Telangana State. However for all practical purposes the party's strength is only four as its MLA R. Krishniah, a BC leader, has declared time and again that he did not belong to any political party and that he was only leader of the Backward Classes.

            Thus with the anti-defection law cannot be applied to the defected TDP MLAs, it has to be seen whether others too would ditch Chandrababu Naidu for political gains. Though stories floated that while TDP members were defecting to TRS, the party would still remain as a force to reckon with as some YSRCP members were expected to join it. This was however discounted by the YSRCP leaders. Since the defection of some more TDP leaders are not ruled out, it is amply clear that only Revanth Reddy, the newly appointed TTDLP leader, would be riding the cycle alone in Telangana State as his entry into the TRS seemed completely blocked.

            All said and done the TRS under KCR's leadership is moving speeding ahead like a juggernaut in the process crushing all its adversaries in the state. The Chief Minister also has been advocating the need for corruption free and cleaner politics. Thus in tune with this ideology will  he try to set an example by calling for by-elections in those Assembly constituencies from where the 10TDP MLAs got elected and defected to his TRS .Will KCR venture to take such an unprecedented political gamble is a million dollar question.