Congress MPs G Vivekananda (Peddapalli) and Manda Jagannadham (Nagarkurnool), along with party senior leader K Kesava Rao announced their decision to quit Congress and join TRS, following the deadline set by them on the Telangana issue ending on Thursday.
These leaders have been holding meetings with TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao for the last few days.
Accusing the Congress leadership of deceiving the people of Telangana on the issue of statehood, Vivekananda, Jagannadham and Kesava Rao said they were bidding adieu to Congress because of the party leadership’s adamant attitude on the T-issue.
Flanked by KCR, the two MPs and Kesava Rao told mediapersons at Vivek’s residence here on Thursday that they would be joining the pink party on June 2 at a public meeting at Nizam College grounds.
The deadline they had set for the Congress high command to deliver T-state expired on Thursday, and they had no other option but to leave the Congress for the sake of achieving Telagnana state under the leadership of KCR, they said.
Earlier, KCR, along with his son KT Rama Rao, party leaders E Rajender and several others drove straight to the residence of Vivek. The TRS chief confabulated with the Congress leaders for more than three hours.
Jagannadham’s son Srinadh, Kesava Rao’s son Viplav Kumar and Vivek’s brother Vinod also took part in the meeting lending credence to reports that the three Congress leaders are crossing over to the pink party only after they were assured by KCR that they and their kin would be given TRS nomination in 2014 polls.
During the meeting, KCR reportedly promised Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha seat and Alampur Assembly seat to Jagannadham and his son Srinadh respectively, while Peddapalli Lok Sabha seat and Bellampalli Assembly seat will go to Vivek and Vinod. It is learnt that the TRS chief also promised Rajya Sabha seat to Kesava Rao and Serilingampally seat to his son Viplav Kumar.
Before this, MLA K Lakshma Reddy came to Vivek’s residence on behalf of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to persuade the trio but talks were not fruitful.
Rajaiah skips meet: Interestingly, Warangal MP Siricilla Rajaiah, who was seen with Jagannadham, Vivek and Kesava Rao whenever they met KCR, did not turn up for the meeting on Thursday.
TRS sources said Rajaiah had developed second thoughts over joining TRS as Warangal Lok Sabha seat, being represented by him now, has been promised to Kadiam Srihari, who joined TRS recently.