VISAKHAPATNAM: IN what could be seen as a setback to Telugu Desam Party (TDP), district chairperson of Visakha Dairy Adari Anand along with directors of the dairy and former Yelamanchili civic chairperson and his sister P Rama Kumari joined the YSR Congress in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and district YSRC leaders in Amaravati on Sunday.
It may be noted here that with Adari family switching loyalties, the TDP will be losing control over the diary after three decades.
The switching parties of the TDP leaders will assume significance in view of the ensuing local body elections. YSRC Rajya Sabha MP Vijaysai Reddy’s statement that more leaders will be joining the party from the TDP has created ripples in political circles in the district.
The YSR Congress has been trying to get a foothold in the port city as its juggernaut in the Assembly elections was halted in Visakhapatnam as all four Assembly segments were won by the TDP. Since elections, rumours have been rife that many TDP MLAs were eyeing to join the ruling party.
However, none of them have crossed the floor. Only a few second-rung leaders such as Kanaka Mahalakshmi Trust Board member Jerripothula Prasad, TDP secretary Manibhushana Rao and former corporator Ch Rama Rao have joined the YSRC.
Though there were speculations that former minister and TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao is scheduled to join the YSR Congres after the TDP’s rout in the Assembly elections, he put the speculations at rest. He has been actively participating in TDP programmes now.
What surprised many was the move of the Adari family, the mainstay of the TDP in Anakapalle division.
They sailed with the TDP even when former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy made several unsuccessful attempts to take over Visakha Dairy by the government.
Adari Tulasi Rao could stall the moves then as he enjoyed the confidence of majority of the dairy farmers.
Now his son Anand along with other directors joined the YSRC en masse.
Among those who joined the YSRC along with Anand include directors Reddy Ramakrishna, Malasala Venkataraman, S Suryanarayana, K Katamayya, Gedela Satyanarayana, Senapati Gowri Bheemasankara Rao, Dadi Ganga Raju, Ch Rajakumari, Sidarapu Eswar, P Gangadhar, and SVV Sankara Rao, former chairperson of Gowada Sugars Donda Kanna Babu, former director of cooperative central bank P Venkateswara Rao, district Kapu Sangham leader Kaja Venkata Appa Rao, former RECS president B Prasad and former MPPs Adari Sridhar and Dasari Appa Rao. The Chief Minister has apparently told them to ensure that the government schemes reach the beneficiaries.
Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao and Anakapalle MLA Gudivada Amarnath were also present.
Switching allegiance a surprise move
Adari family, the mainstay of Telugu Desam Party in Anakapalle division sailed with the party even when former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy made several unsuccessful attempts to take over Visakha Dairy by the State government