YCP gets down to rhetoric to hold its flock together

The YCP has got down to rhetoric in a bid to hold the flock together after a dozen party MLAs crossed over to the TDP following the ruling party's `Akarsh' to attract the opposition MLAs. In this context, YCP's Telugu State units have become active about the holding operation. Telangana YCP unit chief Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy on Sunday claimed his party gave so much freedom for its members that was not available to their counterparts in other parties. Speaking in Tirupati, YCP Chittoor president, Kalattoor Narayanaswamy, had ruled out Punganoor MLA, Peddireddi Ramachandrareddi, as quitting the party. Narayanaswamy went to the extent of saying that even if he were offered chief ministership, there was no question of Ramachandrareddi quitting the YCP and defecting to the ruling party. He described Ramachandrareddi as Tiger of Chittoor. The TDP had realized that unless Ramachandrareddi was induced to join the TDP, there was no question of the ruling party displaying a semblance of strength in Chittoor. On the other hand, Narayanaswamy taunted the Chief Minister that he was not able to strengthen his party in his own backyard. He alleged that this had made the TDP to go on a false campaign that Ramachandrareddi was about to defect to the TDP. But that would not happen, even if the Sun were to rise in the West.