It has been more than a year since several YSR Congress party MLAs defected into the Telugu Desam Party one after the other. The number has now gone up to 21 with the latest defection of Pamarru MLA Uppuleti Kalpana.
According to information from the inside sources, unrest is brewing among these defectors over the inordinate delay in the expansion of the cabinet by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Especially seniors like Bhuma Nagi Reddy, Jyothula Nehru, Jaleel Khan and Sujaya Venkata Krishna Ranga Rao, who deserted Jaganmohan Reddy and joined hands with Naidu only after they were promised ministerial berths.
However, there has not been a single word from Naidu over cabinet expansion. Though it was indicated to him that there would be cabinet reshuffle during Dasara, it did not happen.
The reason cited by the TDP leadership is that the issue of disqualification of defected MLAs was before the Supreme Court and it would be difficult for the TDP to defend their inclusion in the cabinet when the case comes up before the court.
The defected MLAs say it is a lame excuse. In Telangana, defector MLAs like Talasani Srinivasa Yadav and N Indrakaran Reddy had been given cabinet berths by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and they are all happily enjoying the positions. So, Naidu cannot defer cabinet expansion on such silly protests, they say.
