YSRCP Nuzvid MLA Meka Venkata Pratap Appa Rao and Rayachoti MLA Gadikota Srikanth Reddy have refuted rumours that they were defecting to the Telugu Desam Party.

Addressing a meeting at the Rachabanda organised in Agiripalli village under Nuzvid assembly constituency, Appa Rao said he was a political disciple of YS Rajasekhara Reddy and had taken up a lot of developmental work in the constituency during his regime. "I was the first to join the YSRCP in Krishna district and there is no question of my leaving the party," he categorically remarked.

He said he would never succumb to allurements and leave the YSRCP. He rubbished social media reports that he had to wait for hours to get an audience with the party president, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He also slammed Paderu MLA Giddi Eswari for falling into the trap of TDP.

Rayachoti MLA Gadikota Srikanth Reddy too denied reports that he was leaving the party. He said these rumours were being spread only because the TDP is unnerved by the massive response to the Praja Sankalpa Yatra of the Leader of the Opposition and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He said though he had repeatedly clarified, false reports were being circulated to malign his reputation. "I feel ashamed to offer explanations and clarify each time a rumour surfaces," he said. He said he would be with YSRCP and stand by YS Jagan till his last breath.