The development may plunge the TDP into a crisis at a time when party President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is on a foreign trip along with family members. (Photo: PTI)

All is not well for former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. As the Telegu Desam Party chief vacations with family abroad, back home four of the party's Rajya Sabha MPs switched over to the BJP.

Presently, the TDP has six MPs in the Rajya Sabha and four of them have already announced that they are joining the BJP. On Thursday, TDP MPs TG Venkatesh, YS Chowdary, GM Rao and CM Ramesh announced that they were joining the BJP. They also met Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu and submitted their resignation from the TDP.

In their letter to Venkaiah Naidu, the TDP MPs wrote that they were "inspired and encouraged by the impeccable leadership of Narendra Modi" and were hence merging with the BJP.

The TDP MPs with Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu.

Reacting to the development, N Chandrababu Naidu said this was nothing new. "We fought with the BJP only for Special Category Status [for Andhra Pradesh] and the state's interests. We sacrificed central ministers for special status and condemn attempts of BJP to weaken TDP. Crisis is not new to the party. Leaders and cadre have nothing to be nervous about," he told ANI.

The BJP is aiming for a majority in the Upper house as the numbers to pass several key bills in the Rajya Sabha elude the saffron party. With four of six TDP MPs breaking away from their party, it will meet the legal requirement of anti-defection law, which mandates the support of at least two-third members for a split to be recognized in Parliament.

The Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members and the BJP is the single largest party with 71 MPs

In addition to this, reports have suggested that many of TDP's senior leaders and formers MLAs held a closed-door meeting at a hotel of Kakinada discussing their future. The meeting has fanned the speculation of them quitting the party.

Under the leadership of former MLA Thota Trimurthulu, TDP leaders belonging to the Kapu community held a meeting a hotel at Kakinada on Thursday to discuss their strategy.

The developments came amid claims by BJP leaders that several leaders from various parties in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were keen to join their party.

The TDP lost power to YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh in the recent elections. The party could secure only 23 seats of the 151 Assembly seats. It won only three of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.