TDP launches ‘Operation Akarsh’, lures two YSRC MPs into its fold

by A. Saye Sekhar Hyderabad: The ‘Operation Akarsh’, a mantra invoked by the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy to lure elected representatives of the TDP and the TRS into the Congress when he became the chief minister, is now being implemented by TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu. [caption id=“attachment_1541771” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Courtesy: AP[/caption] Senior MLC and Naidu’s trusted lieutenant Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has been entrusted with the task of identifying the targets. He will be assisted by TDP Rajya Sabha member CM Ramesh, who has earned the credit of drawing a large number of Congress leaders into the TDP before the elections and getting them elected on the TDP ticket, to boost the legislative numbers of the TDP. The reason is simple: The immediate target is to enhance the strength of the TDP in the Union cabinet. Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi reportedly proposed a quota of one ministerial position for every five Lok Sabha MPs of the alliance partners of the BJP. In such case, the TDP would have to be content with just three ministerial assignments to its MPs. This expediency has triggered the immediacy of the ‘Operation Akarsh’ exercise. As a first dose, the TDP delivered a body blow to the YSR Congress by luring Nandyal MP SPY Reddy and Kurnool MP Butta Renuka into the TDP. This apart, the TDP leaders are also enticing at least 30 MLAs from the YSR Congress in the residual Andhra Pradesh. This is seen as an attempt to pay it back on the same coin to YS Jagan who hijacked MLAs like Kodali Nani, Maddala Rajesh, Thaneti Vanitha, N Amarnatha Reddy and others from the TDP in the erstwhile Assembly. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said that the floor-crossing by MPs and MLAs may not attract any proviso of Anti-Defection Law, for the YSR Congress was just a registered party and it was yet to be given the status of a recognised political party by the Election Commission of India in accordance with the Representation of People Act. Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao alias Babu said that it was a welcome move. He termed that whosoever was joining the TDP from the YSR Congress might have surely obtained the consent of their respective party workers in their constituencies. It was only after their nod that any leader could take a decision to cross over the party. SPY Reddy, who is yet to take the oath of office as an MP, said on Sunday that five years was too long a period for him to stay glued to a party (read YSRC) that was not in power. He, of course, said that he had no differences of opinion with YS Jagan and he liked him very much. Kurnool MP Butta Renuka has also followed suit and her joining is just a formality, for her husband was also present along with SPY Reddy when the latter met Chandrababu Naidu. In a few days from now, the next punch would be delivered on Jagan, said a TDP leader, who is busy working on the scheme of trapping the YSR Congress leaders. With YS Jagan’s legal future hanging fire, most elected representatives on behalf of the YSR Congress are said to be developing cold feet. Because, they expected Jagan to ascend to power and insulate himself from the legal wrangled he has been ensnared in. However, their hopes were dashed with the YSR Congress failing to make it to the portals of power. Brewing disenchantment against the YSRC leadership and its approach is very easy to handle from outside for the TDP, for most leaders are either from the Congress or the TDP and there is hardly anybody who is a fresher in politics, except for some newly elected MLAs. Encouraging the political turncoats from among legislators and MPs is very easy, as a large number of them are vulnerable to allurements. And, it is not without any reason. Every one has spent a bomb in the elections to take on their opponents and money flooded the state like anything. The amounts seized from Andhra Pradesh also accounted for over 45 percent of the total sum recovered by the Election Commission from across India. The TDP is not only yearning to strengthen itself in the legislative bodies, but it doesn’t want to leave even an iota of scope for the resurgence of the YSR Congress, at any cost. Once weakened in terms of number of legislators and MPs, it becomes easy to tighten the bolts of legal framework around Jagan. This naturally may open floodgates into the TDP. What buttresses this line of thought is the expectation of Maganti Babu who says another 30 MLAs from the YSRC are eagerly waiting in their wings to move to greener pastures in their political careers. All this is just a prelude to what is in store for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and other parties in Telangana region. The TDP is very particular that it should regain its lost ground in the region too which is emerging into a new State in a week from now.