Disqualified MLAs thank Speaker

The MLAs of YS Jagan Group on Saturday thanked Speaker Nadendla Manohar for disqualifying them from the State Legislative Assembly under the Anti Defection Act.

Talking to media persons after emerging out of meeting with YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy at Lotus Pond, five disqualified MLAs - Srinivasulu (Railway Koduru), Srikanth Reddy (Rayachoti), Chennakesava Reddy (Yemmiganur), P Ramakrishna Reddy (Macherla) and Sucharitha (Pattipadu) said that they were ready to face the by-elections. They said they would explain to the people about the circumstances that forced them to revolt against the Congress party to join the YSR Congress.

Sucharita said that the disqualified MLAs were fully confident of winning the by-elections with a huge majority. She said the YSR Congress would teach a fitting lesson to both ruling Congress and opposition Telugu Desam Party candidates.

She said that the MLAs were feeling relieved after the Speaker's decision. “Now we can openly express our loyalty and support to former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy,” she said.

“While voting in favour of No Confidence Motion itself, we are fully conscious that our action would invite disqualification from the Speaker and we were waiting for his decision,” she said. Accusing the Congress and Telugu Desam party of having a secret pact to defeat the YSR Congress, the MLAs said “Our aim is to ensure that Jagan becomes Chief Minister in 2014 elections and we would make sincere efforts to achieve our goal," she said.

The MLAs said that YSR Congress party would not have tie-ups with any other party in the by-elections and go to the election campaign with farmers’ agenda.

Parakala MLA Konda Surekha expressed confidence that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi would not field candidate in the by-election as she has resigned for the cause of Telangana statehood following the directions of JAC. She hoped that the TRS and JAC would support her in the by-elections.

In the meeting, YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy reportedly told the disqualified MLAs not to lose self-confidence and go for by-election campaign with full trust on the people. “The by-elections will be a big test for the YSR Congress party,” he said.