Four TDP MPs switch over to BJP

New Delhi: Four Rajya Sabha members of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Thursday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

TDP parliamemterians Y S Chowdary, C M Ramesh, T G Venkatesh and G Mohan Rao also met vice-president and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu and submitted their resignation from the TDP.

In their letter to Venkaiah Naidu, the TDP MPs wrote that they were "inspired and encouraged by the impeccable leadership of Narendra Modi" and were hence merging with the BJP.

Addressing a press conference BJP Rajya Sabha MP Bhupender Yadav said: "Four TDP Rajya Sabha members held a meeting earlier in the day where they decided to merge with the BJP."

After the four MPs joined the BJP, party working president J P Nadda said the MPs were thinking for long to follow the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and for the development of Andhra Pradesh.

He said all four MPs are grassroots leaders and they would help in strengthening the BJP in the state.

'Crises not new to TDP'

Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu said such crises were not new to the party.

Taking stock of the situation, Naidu, who is vacationing in Europe, spoke to a couple of senior party leaders here over phone, party sources said.

Naidu enquired about the rebellion and told the leaders that such crises were not new to TDP, they said.

TDP fought with the BJP only for securing the state's interests, the sources quoted him as having said.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)