In a blow to the YSR Congress, one of its senior MPs on Sunday joined rival Telugu Desam Party which is set to form the government in Andhra Pradesh, while speculation was rife that another party MP may follow suit.
The three-time Nandyal MP S P Y Reddy was elected on a YSR Congress ticket in this year's Lok Sabha polls. In the 2009 polls, he was elected on a Congress ticket.
YSR Congress sources said Reddy by joining TDP attracts the anti-defection law.
Lok Sabha officials said under Schedule 10 of the Anti-Defection law, Reddy can attract disqualification for which the party will have to move a petition to the Speaker for such action.
One of the grounds for defection is when a member voluntarily gives up membership of his party.
With his exit from YSR Congress, the party's tally in Lok Sabha has been reduced to eight. TDP's strength in the Lower House before Reddy's induction was 16.
"I have joined TDP because BJP is ruling at the Centre and TDP is the ruling party in Seemandhra. I could better serve my constituency if I am with TDP," Reddy told PTI.
Reddy had met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-designate N Chandrababu Naidu here today and had expressed his wish to join his party.
He claimed that he had not communicated to YSR Congress about his sudden decision to join TDP.
He also dismissed allegation that he defected to TDP because of his strained relationship with YSR supremo, saying there was no difference of opinion between them.
Reports suggest that another MP was also contemplating to join TDP and a close aide of that MP has sounded Naidu.
Reddy's switch-over has come as a surprise as he was part of an MP's delegation of YSR Congress led by party chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy which met Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and BJP President Rajnath Singh a couple of days back.
Meanwhile, a senior YSR Congress leader, who is also an MP, said from Hyderabad that there was no inkling that Reddy would join TDP.
"When reports came in that he has called on Naidu, I tried to contact him but he could not be reached," the MP said.
YSR Congress and TDP are bitter political rivals in Seemandhra, which comprises Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra.
The TDP and BJP alliance have emerged victorious in the just concluded Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh. YSR Congress has secured the second position.
