Defectors set to burst TDP bubble
HYDERABAD: Euphoria in the TDP, triggered by the influx of Congress leaders, seems to be waning as the turncoats, desperate to jump into the poll fray, are looking at alternatives.
Even as the party is still at loggerheads with the BJP over the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat, two close aides of former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao ' who is moving heaven and earth for the TDP's Vizag ticket ' have almost decided to return to their parent party, Congress.
MLAs Chintalapudi Venkatramaiah (Gajuwaka) and SSN Raju alias Kannababu (Yelamanchili) had quit the Congress in the immediate aftermath of State division and joined the TDP along with Ganta recently.
The duo have now received an 'invite' from the Congress. While Kannababu is going to hold a meeting with his supporters in a couple of days to decide his future course, Venkatramaiah is said to have been advised by Ganta not to take any hasty decision.
Both the MLAs are miffed with the TDP for making them wait, without any assurance on party nominations. Ganta is the anchor for MLA M Srinivasa Rao, Venkatramaiah, Pendurthy MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu and Kannababu. They were once members of the now defunct Praja Rajyam of Chiranjeevi.
All of them joined the TDP following a general assurance that they would be accommodated. However, of late, the situation has changed with the TDP reportedly deciding to give either the Vizag Lok Sabha seat (if the BJP concedes it in exchange for Kakinada) or the Bheemili Assembly seat to Ganta.
The TDP may agree to field M Srinvasa Rao for Anakapalle LS seat and Ramesh Babu for Vizag North Assembly seat but seems to have decided against giving tickets to Kannababu and Venkatramaiah following local opposition. The latter told Express 'the situation is not encouraging in TDP.'
News Posted: 13 April, 2014
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