TDP desertion: Party will tide over crisis, says Chandrababu

TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu today said his party would overcome the crisis in the wake of its floor leader in Legislative Assembly and an MLA crossing over to ruling TRS in Telangana.
Recalling that TDP has faced several crisis in its 34-year history, Naidu told an extended meeting of the party's Telangana unit here that workers are the real strength of TDP.
TDP faced a lot of problems when it was in opposition for 10 years. The party would not be weakened with a few leaders deserting it, he said.
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, who has of late shifted his base to Vijayawada, said he would give more time to guide the party in Telangana.

He asked the TDP leaders to come up with a plan of action to strengthen the party in Telangana.
In a major setback to TDP in Telangana, the party veteran Errabelli Dayakar Rao and MLA Prakash Goud joined the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS yesterday.

With Dayakar and Goud joining the TRS, the total number of TDP MLAs, who switched loyalty to the ruling party in Telangana, rose to nine.
TDP won 15 Assembly seats in the 2014 Assembly elections, which were swept by TRS.
TDP had filed disqualification petitions with the Assembly Speaker against its MLAs who quit the party.

Some MLAs from the Congress and YSR Congress have also joined the ruling outfit since June 2014 when TRS government assumed office after Telangana became a separate State.