Jolt to TDP as two more legislators join TRS

In a serious jolt to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana, two of its legislators crossed over to ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Maganti Gopinath and Arikepudi Gandhi on Wednesday wrote a letter to Speaker Madhusudhana Chary, requesting him to merge them with TRS legislature party.

The development came a day ahead of the budget session of the state legislature, beginning on Thursday.

Both are legislators from Greater Hyderabad. Maganti, who represents the Jubliee Hills constituency, was also the president of TDP's Greater Hyderabad unit. Gandhi represents Serilingampalli constituency.

This setback will leave TDP with just three members in 120-member state assembly. The party had won 15 seats in 2014 elections but 12 of the legislators have so far switched loyalties to TRS.

Last month, five TDP MLAs including E. Dayakar Rao, who was leader of TDP in the assembly, had crossed over to TRS.

They along with five other who earlier defected to TRS had written a letter to the speaker urging him to merge them into TRS legislature party.