4 YSRCP MLAs suspended from party for cross-voting in MLC elections

Amaravati: Four rebel MLAs who were said to be involved in cross-voting in the MLC elections have been suspended from the YSRCP for violating the Whip issued by the party.

The four leaders are Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, and Undavalli Sridevi.

A day before, on Thursday, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) nominee Panchumarthi Anuradha won one of the MLC seats under the MLA quota by a margin of 23 votes, while the YSRCP won six other MLC seats. Though the TDP won 23 MLA seats in 2019, four MLAs shifted to YSRCP. Yet, the TDP has managed to get 23 votes in this election.

This year, Anuradha only had the support of 19 MLAs, and an MLC needs 22 votes to win.

YSRCP expected cross-voting by Sridhar Reddy and Ramnarayan Reddy, however, the names of the other two MLAs came as a shock. YSRCP believes that these four leaders cross-voted in the MLC elections.

“We did some internal investigation, and the party is convinced that the four MLAs crossed the line and did cross-voting. After discussing with the senior leaders, party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to suspend them,” government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy told the media.

Further, he said, “According to our information, the party believes that money has changed hands. TDP chief Nara Chandrababu is said to have offered Rs. 15 to 20 crores to each MLA. He might have said that they will also give tickets to those who cross-voted.”