The merger of the group of 12 rebel, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators into the ruling Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) in the new State of Telangana has kicked up a minor politico-legal storm.

The quick action by the Speaker, S Madhusudhanachary on a letter by Erabelli Dayakar Rao, the erstwhile TDP floor leader in the Assembly seeking merger on grounds that the group was more than the two-thirds required, drew wide criticism from the Opposition parties today.

The TDP was reduced to a strength of just 3 from the 15 seats in won in the 2014 Assembly elections, after two more of its legislators, Maganti Gopinath and Arikepudi Gandhi, quit and urged the Speaker to include them also in the list of 10 MLAs sent by Dayakar Rao in February.

The TRS, which bagged 63 seats in the 119 strong Legislative Assembly at the 2014 hustings, had launched `Project Akarshan’, to wean away legislators from opposition parties. While it had tasted a steady success with defections from the BSP, Cong(I), TDP, it gathered momentum after the Warangal strongman and longtime TDP loyalist Dayakar Rao, giving a big boost to press for its political strategy of mergers.

The TDP’s Chief of Telangana, A Revanth Reddy found fault with the Speaker on grounds of `undue haste’ and legal in allowing the merger under anti-defection. “While he refused to act for 20 months on complaints by TDP, Cong(I) and YSR Congress Party to take action on defection of legislators from their respective parties, the swift action following the letter from Erabelli show only political motives”.

Senior Cong(I) leader, K Jana Reddy condemned the developments. “Where are ethics, laws, he wondered. If speaker takes such a decision where can we go. It’s a spot on democracy”, he felt. The BJP also faulted the Speaker action and said it was not a healthy development.

The TRS Party led by K Chandrasekhara Rao has been gaining in strength with convincing victories in polls to civic bodies in Hyderabad, Khammam, Warangal and bye elections in Narayankhed and also the Lok Sabha election for the Warangal seat. This has emboldened it to steam roll the opposition and weaken them. Its primary target has been the TDP led by AP Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu.

With the latest development, the TDP will be left with token presence in the Assembly. Of the three legislators Revanth Reddy stands accused in the `vote for money’ scam of June last along with Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, while R Krishnaiah has taken a `low profile’ approach. Its ally, the BJP has five members.

The Cong(I), which suffered a rout and managed 21 seats is already in disarray with its own infightings and has not been able to get its act together to play a meaningful role as opposition. It is vulnerable for the next round of defections to the ruling party.

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