TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is yet to recover from the shocking defeat at the hands of YSRCP in Assembly polls.

The TDP was confined to just 23 seats out of 175 in Legislative Assembly, the worst-ever number for TDP in its 37-year history.

But if YSRCP chief and AP CM designate says ‘yes’, then TDP will be confined to just three seats in Assembly, as 20 TDP MLAs reportedly started making attempts to join YSRCP anytime soon and sending ‘feelers’ to Jagan to this effect.

But Jagan is learnt to have rejected their offer saying that he is against encouraging defections from other parties.

These 20 MLAs propose to declare themselves as “real TDLP” (Legislature Party) and seek Speaker’s approval to merge TDLP into YSRCLP.

Speaker approving this is only a formality, as was done in Telangana Legislative Council where Congress MLCs merged their CLP into TRSLP.

If Jagan says yes to this proposal, these 20 MLAs will automatically become YSRCP MLAs and there will no be no risk of facing Anti-Defection Law.

TDP government encouraged defections from YSRCP to TDP by taking 23 YSRCP MLAs into TDP and even gave four of them minister posts in gross violation of norms, though they continued to be YSRCP MLAs.

YSRCPLP could not be merged into TDPLP then as it requires one-third of total MLAs to quit at a time and seek merger.

But in the latest case, TDPLP could be merged into YSRCLP and there will be no legal complications.

Despite this, Jagan reportedly said no to this saying that if he encourages defections, there will be no difference between him and Chandrababu Naidu.

Jagan has been maintaining ‘strict policy’ with regard to defections since he floated YSRCP in 2011. He took MLAs from other parties earlier, only if they submitted resignation to their posts and contest as YSRCP candidates.

Jagan says defections are unethical and God will punish those who resort to such unethical practices.

After YSRCP swept recent polls, Jagan said that God punished TDP and Naidu for taking 23 YSRCP MLAs and 3 YSRCP MPs into TDP and for that reason God gave only 23 Assembly seats and 3 Lok Sabha seats to TDP in recent polls.

Jagan reportedly told party leaders that he will not commit the mistakes of Naidu and encourage defections.