Janga Krishna Murthy, a YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLC who defected to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), has been disqualified. This decision was made by Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju, citing defection.
Chairman Raju issued a notification formally disqualifying Murthy, who had recently switched allegiance to the Telugu Desam Party. The Council Chairman took this action three days after the simultaneous elections for the state Assembly and Lok Sabha.
Krishna Murthy, formerly the president of YSRCP’s Backward Class (BC) wing, resigned from his primary party membership and position after being denied a ticket by the ruling party for either the Assembly or Lok Sabha elections. He had contested from the Gurazala Assembly Constituency in the Palnadu district. Previously, he had been elected as MLA in 1999 and 2004 from the Gurazala Assembly constituency in Palnadu district under a Congress ticket, later shifting his allegiance to the YSRCP. Murthy, a two-time MLA, publicly joined the TDP during a gathering in Sattenapalli on April 6.
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Following his defeat as a YSRCP candidate in the same constituency in 2014, he was not fielded by the party in 2019. However, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, serving as the president of YSRCP, nominated him to the AP Legislative Council.
During the recent elections, Murthy sought the party ticket from Gurazala and exerted pressure to secure it, but the YSRC ultimately renominated sitting MLA Kasu Mahesh Reddy, leading to Murthy’s dissatisfaction. Additionally, Murthy’s claim for the Narasaraopet MP ticket was rejected by the YSRC, opting instead for another BC leader and former minister, P Anil Kumar Yadav. Previously, Murthy had also been vying for the post of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) chairman, which was ultimately appointed to Tirupati MLA Bhumana Karunakara Reddy by the party.
Responding to his disqualification, Krishna Murthy voiced objection, stating that his version was not solicited before the decision was issued.
