With general elections fast approaching, churning in political parties has begun with politicos looking for greener pastures. In a major blow to the Congress in Seemandhra, three ministers, four MLAs from Visakhapatnam and two from Nellore are all set to switch loyalties to the TDP. The ministers are Erasu Pratap Reddy, Ganta Srinivasa Rao and TG Venkatesh while the MLAs from Visakhaptanam are Ramesh Babu, C Venkatramaiah, Avanthi Srinivas and UV Ramanamurthy Raju.
They will join the TDP at the Mahila Garjana in Vizag on March 8. The Congress MLAs joining the TDP from Nellore are Sridhar Krishna Reddy (Nellore city) and Adala Prabhakar Reddy (Sarvepalli). Ex-MLA P Srinivasulu Reddy too will be joining the TDP in Nellore on March 5.
Erasu and TG belong to Kurnool district, while Ganta is from Visakhapatnam district. For Ganta and TG, it is home-coming while for Erasu, it will be a new start. The TDP, on its part, has its own problems. Three of its legislators — P Mahender Reddy (Tandur) and K S Ratmnam (Chevella) both MLAs and P Narender Reddy (MLC) — are set to join the TRS. Interestingly, the TRS isn’t sitting pretty either.
Its legislator G Aravind Reddy (Mancherial), who fell out with KCR, joined the Congress in Delhi on Wednesday night. Medak MP Vijayashanthi too officially joined the Congress on Thursday after meeting Digvijaya Singh and Sonia Gandhi. Later, she lashed out at KCR for reneging on his promise to merge the TRS with Congress.
The only important T leader left in the YSRC Bajireddy Govardhan Reddy, a Congress MLA between 2004-09 from Banswada, has reportedly decided to join the BJP.
Kiran no to party with cong orphans!
The prospects of N Kiran Kumar Reddy floating a party are dimming. He seems to be telling his aides there is no sense in forming a party for “Cong orphans” who can join neither TDP nor YSRC. “If at all, Samaikya party should be for those who believe in the slogan” — is his latest line.