HYDERABAD: As expected, former rebel TRS MLA Dugyala Srinivas Rao joined the Congress party in the presence Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas at the latter’s residence here today. It is learnt that former minister S Santosh Reddy will also join the Congress in the near future.
Both have won on TRS tickets from Chennur in Warangal district and Armoor Nizamabad Assembly segments, respectively, in 2004 polls.
It may be recalled that both the former MLAs have resigned to their posts prior to Assembly Speaker KR Suresh Reddy’s judgment on a petition filed by the TRS.
The TRS, in its petition, had alleged that the above members had violated the party whip during Council polls and demanded action against the rebels under the Anti Defection Law. Srinivas Rao along with other former rebel TRS MLAs who included T Jayaprakash Reddy (who represented Sangareddy segment in Medak) came close to the ruling party after parting ways with the TRS.
Talking to newsmen later, the PCC president claimed that the Congress Party would be further strengthened with the joining of more members into the party. Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy’s statement in the State Assembly has made it clear that the Congress has `clarity’ on Telangana issue, he noted.
Srinivas Rao asserted that Telangana statehood issue would become a reality only through Congress party. The issue would have been sorted out by now if a second SRC (States Reorganization Commission) was formed immediately after 2004 polls.
People of the region do not believe the TRS and its leader K Chandrasekhar Rao since it had joined hands with Grand Alliance led by the TDP. Telangana region has witnessed development in the last four-and-a-half years and would see more development under the rule of Rajasekhara Reddy, he added.