YSRCP herds its MLAs to Nepal

Amaravati: Scared of possible poaching of MLAs or luring them to indulge in cross-voting during the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha, the YSRCP has resorted to camp politics. The party is learnt to have sent its MLAs to Nepal. The party is worried that the TDP may field third candidate and try to lure some of the YSRCP members to vote in favour of the TDP candidate. The TDP can win two seats on its own and if it has support of two more MLAs, it can win the third seat, too.

In view of this, soon after the MLAs participated in the dharna at New Delhi demanding Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh, the party leadership decided to pack them off to Nepal. The MLAs will be in Nepal till the last date for nominations is over on March 12. In case the TDP decides to field third candidate then the party will ask the MLAs to stay in Nepal till 22. They will reach the Assembly on the day of polling. YSRCP, which has a strength to get one candidate elected, has fielded Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy.

Meanwhile, one of the MLAs Mustafa Shaik who had gone to Nepal returned to Guntur on Saturday. Talking to The Hans India, he denied that the party had resorted to camp politics. He said it is a fact that MLAs have gone to Nepal but only as tourists and has nothing to do with politics. He said after participating in the dharna at New Delhi, they thought they should visit Nepal since it is nearer to Delhi. 

He said while others were visiting various places of tourist interest, he had come back as there has been outbreak of diarrhoea in his constituency. He, however, refused to reveal the number of YSRCP MLAs who have been sent to Nepal.

By: Sambasiva Rao Madamanchi