Dalit TDP MP Quits Party Alleging Caste Bias, Joins YSR Congress

MP Ravindra Babu alleged that TDP was a casteist party before joining Jagan Reddy’s YSRCP.

Photo of Pandula Ravindra Babu (left) and founder of YSR Congress Party Jaganmohan Reddy.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/YSR Congress)

In a fresh blow to the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, Amalapuram MP Pandula Ravindra Babu quit the party and joined YSR Congress party on Monday, 18 February, alleging caste discrimination.

Ravindra Babu resigned from his MP seat and as well the party. This comes just four days after Anakapalle MP Srinivas Rao joined hands with Jaganmohan Reddy.

After visiting YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy at his residence in Hyderabad on Monday, Ravindra Babu told reporters that the party never gave him the attention that he deserved because of caste bias.

“For 13 years Kotipalli-Narsapur railway line was in cold storage, but I accomplished that project. Due to my constant efforts, Rs 2,000 crore funds were sanctioned and three bridges were built. However, neither the TDP nor Chandrababu Naidu appreciated me. The press didn’t cover this news either.”

Pandula Ravindra Babu, Amalapuram MP

‘I Am a Dalit, TDP Ensured I Don't Get News Coverage’

"I got Rs 2,000 crore, spent Rs 100 crore on Corporate Social Responsibility, but nobody (party members) speaks about it. Isn't it caste discrimination? Just because I am a Dalit, they ensured that I don't get any news coverage,” he said.

"For all these days, they discriminated against me and today they are asking me not to leave the party, and promising the chief minister's post, if they win, which they won't," the MP ridiculed.

The MP alleged that TDP was corrupt.

However, when questioned why he continued to be in the party for four-and-a-half years while knowing that he was in a corrupt party, Ravindra Babu remained elusive and said that only the MLAs were corrupt but not the MPs. When questioned further, he said that the MPs were kept in the dark.

He also predicted that Jaganmohan Reddy will win with a landslide in the upcoming general elections, "I am predicting that out of the 175 seats in Andhra, YSRCP will win all of them."

"Jagan took a consistent stand on the Special Category Status issue, so I am following him. If this country has to progress, a casteist party like TDP should be destroyed," he said.

Along with Ravindra Babu, another Congress leader Channadas joined the YSRCP on Monday.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute)