The whips issued by the Congress and Telugu Desam Party to their MLAs in connection with the Appropriation Bill 2014-15, introduced and passed in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, proved meaningless with both the parties adopting a surprising stand.
The Congress Legislature Party had issued whip to all 22 MLAs who were elected on Congress ticket in last Assembly elections. They include Vithal Reddy, Redya Naik, Kanakaiah and Yadaiah who defected to the TRS.
Similarly, the TDP too had issued a whip to all its legislators including Teegala Krishna Reddy, T Srinivas Yadav and C Dharma Reddy who have recently switched loyalties to the TRS.
Political analysts believed that the whips were primarily aimed at fixing those rebel MLAs.
Speaking on the Appropriation Bill on Friday, Congress MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy had also demanded that Congress party rejected the Bill and wanted division during voting.
The rebel MLAs would have attracted the provisions of anti-defection law if they would have voted in favour of the Bill.
However, before the conclusion of the debate, party's floor leader and Leader of the Opposition K Jana Reddy took a U-turn and announced Congress party's support to the Bill. This moved saved all four rebel MLAs from facing action.
Similarly, the TDP staged a walkout while the Bill was being passed. Instead of Appropriation Bill, the walkout was in protest against the TRS MLAs’ opposition to Revanth Reddy's speech in the House.
Therefore, by staging a walkout from the House, the TDP saved its rebel MLAs from getting caught under the net of Anti-Defection Law.
