Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu might be very close to Telugu Desam Party president and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, but one statement from him has come as a big relief for YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.
Venkaiah said there was a need to strengthen the anti-defection law to prevent elected leaders from changing parties so frequently. He said the membership of the defectors should be cancelled immediately.
The Union Minister further said that defectors have been mocking at democracy by switching sides and this practice is very bad. Any defector should be immediately disqualified and the law should be strengthened, he said.
Welcoming the remark of Venkaiah, YSR Congress party said that an ordinance to that effect should be passed immediately to safeguard parliamentary democracy.
“It was very wise on part of senior parliamentarian and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs to say that. Jagan had earlier pointed out the power to disqualify such turncoats should lie with the Election Commission and not the Speaker,” party leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy said.
Since the union minister for Parliamentary Affairs had expressed the view, an ordinance strengthening the anti-defection law should be brought in immediately and the Act can be amended in the ensuing session, he said.
