TIRUPATI: High drama was enacted at the Chandragiri constituency meeting called by Galla Aruna Kumari in Thondavada, on Wednesday. She expressed her displeasure over the party keeping her jobless in the last four years.About 1,000 workers turned up for the meet and expressed their concern for her. The speakers questioned why such a senior leader was sidelined? One of the speakers stated that immediately after the demise of the then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, some names were short-listed for CM candidature and Aruna’s name figured in the list.
Recalling that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s mentor was Galla Aruna’s father, Rajagopal Naidu, he said he (CM) should have done something for her.Aruna said that due to the humiliation faced by the Congress after bifurcation, she quit the party and joined TDP after discussing the issue with the family. “I won the Chandragiri seat for TDP,” she recalled.The MLA said that she had met Naidu before going abroad and requested him to select an able person for Chandragiri. However, the Chandragiri leader told the agitating cadre that she would meet Naidu and have discussion with him.
Earlier, she said that she wanted to stay away from Chandragiri constituency politics and had informed party supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu about her decision. He, however, did not accept her request and proposed her daughter Dr Rama’s candidature for the segment.Aruna recalled that her father Rajagopal Naidu wrote a letter in which he said that if she were a minister, she would have been more helpful to the people.
Galla Aruna took an assurance from party workers that they would work for the party’s success in the ensuing elections. Some of her staunch followers requested her not to quit. After sometime, she categorically stated that in the last three-and-a-half years, she had done nothing for her followers as she had no power. She promised to remain in the party and support Chandrababu Naidu.Her followers said they were conducting ‘Operation Akarsh’ for the second and third rung leaders who are important during elections. However, Aruna accused Chandrababu Naidu of failing to develop the party cadre.
Mom not leaving TDP: Jayadev
Guntur: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Guntur MP Galla Jayadev at a press conference here on Wednesday condemned the rumours of his mother Galla Aruna defecting to YSR Congress (YSRC). He clarified that his mother, before leaving for US, only said that she would not contest from the Chandragiri Assembly constituency in the coming General Elections.
Terming resignations by YSRC MPs a political drama as byelections would not be held one year before the General Elections, he said the people of AP were watching the gimmicks. Jayadev alleged that BJP and YSRC had a secret understanding. TDP was clear in its decisions and was fighting sincerely to achieve special category status (SCS) for the State. He said the TDP would not support the Congress which was responsible for bifurcation of the State. In the same breath, he said BJP had done more injustice to AP than the Congress.