HYDERABAD: Giving a finishing touch to the long-running saga of his departure from the Telangana Telugu Desam, its working president A Revanth Reddy has preferred to stage an open revolt against the party leadership before his exit.
The young leader, who is all set to jump into Congress, announced here on Wednesday that he would hold a TDP Legislative Party (TDLP) meeting on Assembly premises here on Thursday to list out issues that are to be taken up by party MLAs in the ensuing session of the State Assembly which will start from October 27.
Despite a stern warning issued by party TS unit president L Ramana, asking him not to hold such a meeting, Revanth, who had been, till a week ago, used by party leadership to attack Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said, “Ramana has no right to deny me the right to hold TDLP meeting. Being the floor leader of the party, I am authorised to hold the meeting. I will do so on Thursday. I will explain about the ongoing developments in the party only to our party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and not to anybody else.”
According to sources, he decided to hold TDLP meeting on Thursday in order to show his strength within TDP. “Even though the TDLP meeting is, every time, primarily held for the party MLAs, Revanth is holding Thursday’s meeting to show the leaders who are with him. All those leaders, who are expected to join Congress along with him, will attend the meeting.
“In fact, Naidu was supposed to reach Hyderabad by Wednesday night. But, as his ongoing foreign tour got extended, his return is delayed. Therefore, Revanth is waiting to have a final conversation with Naidu before his exit from the party,” sources said.
Earlier in the day, party TS unit president Ramana announced that the party leadership was stripping Revanth Reddy of the “working president and Assembly floor leader” posts which are held by him.
“This afternoon, Chandrababu Naidu called me from London and ordered me not to allow Revanth to hold any meetings. Naidu also authorised me to act against Revanth.
I am, therefore, ordering the Kodangal MLA not to hold MLAs meeting. In fact, TDP and BJP MLAs and leaders are meeting at a hotel in Hyderabad on Thursday to chalk out a common strategy to be adopted in the Assembly session. Revanth has also been invited to the meeting,” Ramana said.
The TDP TS unit president then flew off the handle at the Kondangal MLA, accusing him of acting at the behest of the Congress.
TDP has only three MLAs now
Interestingly, though Revanth Reddy and Ramana decided to hold TDLP meetings separately on Thursday, there are only three MLAs with the TDP in TS Assembly at present. Of the 15 MLAs who won on TDP ticket in 2014 elections, 12 had crossed over to TRS several months ago. Revanth , Sandra Venkata Veeraiah and R Krishnaiah are still with TDP.
Congress, TDP activists join ruling TRS
Activists and leaders of Congress and TDP from Gangapur village in Jadcherla Assembly constituency joined TRS on Wednesday in presence of Health minister Dr C Laxma Reddy. The minister said the leaders from other political parties are joining TRS after getting attracted to development works undertaken by TRS. He said people would not get help from outdated Opposition parties.