Babu 3rd YSRCP legislator to exit party in run-up to Lok Sabha elections

TIRUPATI: MS Babu, YSRCP MLA from Puthalapattu in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district, resigned from the governing party and joined Congress after meeting APCC chief YS Sharmila at Kadapa on Saturday. Babu is the third legislator from Chittoor to leave YSRCP before the general elections. Earlier, YSRCP sacked Chittoor legislator Arani Sreenivasulu and Satyavedu legislator Koneti Adimoolam after they openly criticised the party leadership and cosied up to NDA allies BJP, TDP and Jana Sena. While Sreenivasulu subsequently joined Jana Sena, Adimoolam joined TDP.

It remains to be seen if Congress will field Babu from Puthalapattu, from where YSRCP has declared former legislator Suneel Kumar as its nominee. With TDP fielding journalist K Murali Mohan in the fray, Puthalapattu is set to witness a triangular contest.