Cracks in TDP as 2 MLAs cast votes in Prez Polls

Hyderabad, July 19 (UNI) Three years after its virtual drubbing at the hustings in Andhra Pradesh, signs of dissent appeared in the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), with two party MLAs breaking ranks to cast their votes in the Presidential polls today.

Mr S V Subba Reddy, a former minister and one of the TDP founding members, and Mr G Nagasiva Reddy exercised their franchise, even as the other 43 TDP MLAs abstained from casting votes, as per the party's stand.

Mr Subba Reddy, who stood solidly behind Party founder and the then chief minister N T Rama Rao when his son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu staged a political coup, defended his action saying, ''voting is a part of democracy.'' Mr Nagasiva Reddy, who defeated Dr M V Mysoora Reddy in the Kamalapuram constituency in Kadapa district, is a protege of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. He was suspended earlier from the TDP for alleged ''indiscipline''.

Faced with the first signs of open dissent within his party, TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu treaded cautiously on the Presidential polls and asserted that the party had not issued any ''directive'' to its Legislators and it was just a ''consensus''.

Even last afternoon, Mr Naidu had told the media in the Assembly chambers that the TDP had decided to abstain from the Presidential polls as they did not want to vote for the controversial candidates.

The TDP, whose pivotal support kept the BJP-led NDA in power for six years at the Centre, had now found the BJP a ''communal'' party.

Yesterday's Election Commission directive that voting in the Presidential election would not attract anti-defection law, had apparently bolstered the TDP and TRS rebels to cast votes in the elections today.

Mr Subba Reddy, himself a senior lawyer, maintained that his action did not tantamount to any anti-party activity. Besides, the TDP had not issued a whip, after the EC dubbed any whip by a party as ''influencing'' the Presidential polls, which could lead to disqualification, he said.

The ten TRS MLAs, who participated in the polls, claimed that they were unaware of any decision taken by the party to abstain from the Presidential polls.

All these TRS MLAs were facing the threat of disqualification in the wake of the TRS petitioning the Assembly Speaker, demanding their removal for violating the party whip in the just-concluded elections to the Legislative Council.

UNI