TDP expels MP who cross-voted

M Jagnnadham, one of the two rebel Telugu Desam Party members of Lok Sabha, has been expelled from the party for violating the party whip and casting vote in support of the United Progressive Alliance government in Parliament on Tuesday.

TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu told the media in Delhi that Jagannatham has been expelled from the party.

"On the other hand, on MP Aadikesavulu Naidu we will take a decision after ascertaining whom he had voted for," Naidu said.

Aadikesavulu Naidu is believed to have cast an invalid vote in the first round and later used a slip to vote in favour of the UPA government.

In another related development, M Jagannatham met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and discussed the issue of his joining the Congress party. Informed sources said she has given her approval to his admission into the Congress.

The sources also said that the Congress has assured him a Lok Sabha ticket from the same Nagarkurnool (SC) constituency from where he was elected thrice in the past.

The trust vote in Parliament on Tuesday dealt a double blow to Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, with two party members defying the party whip and voting for the United Progressive Alliance.

While liquor baron and the Chittoor MP Aadikesavulu Naidu was expected to vote for the UPA, the TDP was shocked when Nagarkurnool MP Jagnnadham also voted for the UPA.

Jagnnadham, a Dalit leader, is a third time member of Lok Sabha and was believed to be a staunch follower of Naidu.

According to TDP sources, TDP leader in Parliament K Yerran Naidu was confident that Jagnnadham would follow the party whip. Yerran Naidu and another member E Dayakar Rao had focussed their attention completely on Aadikesavulu Naidu, who had indicated that he would vote for the UPA.
 
Sources said that Aadikesavulu Naidu met Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on Tuesday afternoon and struck a deal with the Andhra Pradesh chief minister.

Aadikesavulu Naidu, whose Chittoor constituency has been declared as reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate, has decided to join Chiranjeevi's party.

"This is biggest treachery we have seen. The party will take strong action against them," said a senior TDP leader.
 
But it was celebration time for Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, as the trust vote had weakened the TDP.