HYDERABAD: All is not well at TRS in Rangareddy district. Several senior leaders are reportedly looking towards the Congress to save their flailing political careers and speculation is rife that Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy as also several TRS MLCs have decided to jump ship ahead of the elections.
MLC Kompally Yadava Reddy has, in fact, already informed caretaker IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao that he will not continue in the TRS. Yadava Reddy had requested the TRS leadership to shift Kale Yadaiah from Chevella to Vikarabad Assembly seat, but Rama Rao made it clear that the sitting MLA would stay put.
A disappointed Yadava Reddy then informed the pink party scion that he would put in his papers, following which the TRS leadership sent MLCs Shambipur Raju and Bhanuprasad Rao to convince Yadava Reddy to sleep over his decision. The disgruntled leader is yet to disclose if he will stick to his plan to defect.
Legislative Council chairman K Swami Goud, too, seems unhappy with the TRS leadership. As Goud’s term as chairman is set to end, the party leadership is thinking of appointing K R Suresh Reddy, who recently defected from the Congress, as his successor.
Clearly upset, Goud is understood to be considering his chances of contesting from Rajendranagar Assembly segment on a Congress ticket. But Congress senior leader and former Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, who will be contesting from Maheshwaram, is hopeful that the Rajendranagar ticket will be given to her son Karthik Reddy. It remains to be seen how she will react to Goud’s plans.
Meanwhile, talks of Chevella Lok Sabha member Konda Vishweshwar Reddy’s possible departure to the Congress is doing the rounds in political circles. According to sources, the TRS leadership told Vishweshwar Reddy that he must make way for a winnable candidate as his popularity was on the wane.
Transport Minister Patnam Mahender Reddy’s wife and Rangareddy zilla parishad chairperson Sunitha is likely to be fielded as TRS MP candidate from Chevella the next time.
Mahender Reddy will contest from Tandur and his brother Narender Reddy from Kodangal on TRS tickets. A visibly irate Vishweshwar Reddy is now grumbling about the Patnam family’s dominance in erstwhile Rangareddy district.
It is relevant to mention that several MLCs from the TRS recently left the party. While Ramulu Naik was suspended, MLC Konda Murali and Bhupathireddy defected to the Congress.