YSRC suspends four MLAs for cross-voting in MLC elections

 VIJAYAWADA: Ruling YSR Congress on Friday suspended four of its MLAs – Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and Vundavalli Sridevi – for cross voting in the just-concluded MLC elections from MLAs’ quota.

The announcement has come within 24 hours of the results of MLC polls, which have helped Telugu Desam candidate Panchumarthi Anuradha win the MLC election.

Speaking to reporters at the assembly media point, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy underlined that party high command’s inquiries have confirmed that these four YSRC MLAs have been involved in cross voting that helped the TD nominee emerge victorious. These four legislators cross voted despite the YSRC Legislature Party issuing a whip to all YSRC MLAs on voting for the ruling party candidates.

“As Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and Vundavalli Sridevi have violated the whip and cross voted, they have been suspended from YSRC Party,” Ramakrishna Reddy declared.

The party general secretary said the party contested for seven MLC seats as it had the requisite number of MLAs. Despite opposition TD not having sufficient number of legislators, it still fielded its candidate. The opposition party has won the MLC elections only through horse trading.

Ramakrishna Reddy further alleged that, according to their information, Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu might have bought each of the four MLAs by paying them ₹15–20 crore each. Further, these legislators may have also been offered TD tickets for contesting the next assembly general elections.

The party general secretary said but for these four MLAs, no other YSRC legislator has crossed the party line or directions in the MLC elections from the MLAs’ quota.