Another TDP MP quits party, joins YSR Congress

Amravati: In yet another jolt to the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, its Lok Sabha member from Amalapuram quit the party on February 18 and joined the main opposition YSR Congress.

Pandula Ravindra Babu, who represented Amalapuram (SC) constituency in East Godavari district, met YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and formally joined the opposition party.

He is the second TDP MP after Anakapalli MP M Srinivasa Rao to join the YSRC in the last one week.

Chirala MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan had last week quit the TDP to join the Jaganmohan Reddy-led party.

A former Central services officer, Ravindra Babu was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2014.

As there was talk that the TDP may not field him again from Amalapuram, he was said to be unhappy.

"I am happy to have joined the YSRC. It is like homecoming for me," Babu said after meeting Reddy.

He criticised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for "ditching" the people of AP in the name of a special economic package after several flip-flops on special category status.

Ultimately, the state did not get anything from the Centre only because of Naidu, he charged.

"The state will not prosper as long as Chandrababu Naidu remains the CM," he added.