M.S. Babu, legislator of the Puthalapattu (SC) Assembly constituency becomes the third from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in the undivided Chittoor district to quit the ruling party in the run-up to the general elections.
Mr. Babu, who was denied a party ticket for the second consecutive time, which was given away to his predecessor Sunil Kumar, joined the Congress in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila Reddy during her ‘Bus Yatra’ in Kadapa district on Saturday.
His exit follows the resignation of Koneti Adimoolam (Satyavedu) and Arani Srinivasulu (Chittoor), following the denial of party tickets to the same Assembly constituencies they are representing. While Mr. Adimoolam joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to retain the seat, Mr. Srinivasulu joined the Jana Sena Party (JSP) to bag the Tirupati Assembly seat.
The exit of the third MLA from the district is viewed in political circles as potentially causing a dent to the ruling party’s vote share.
