VIJAYAWADA: Speculation is rife that former Minister and Visakhapatnam North TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao along with his son may call on Chief Minister and YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy soon to extend his support to the government.
Though rumours regarding Ganta’s gravitation towards the ruling party did the rounds several occasions in the past, sources said the former minister, known for changing political platforms time-to-time, got clearance from the YSRC leadership this time. He is likely to meet the Chief Minister on October 3.
If the speculation of Ganta coming closer to the ruling party becomes true, he will be the fifth MLA to leave the TDP bandwagon. Earlier, four MLAs from the Opposition — Vallabhaneni Vamsi (Gannavaram), Maddali Giridhara Rao (Guntur West), Karanam Balaram (Chirala) and Vasupalli Ganesh (Visakhapatnam South) — met the Chief Minister, extending their support to the YSRC government. Though they have not joined the YSRC, they are openly criticising TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, while hailing the leadership of Jagan.
Though the TDP suffered its worst debacle in the 2019 elections by winning just 23 MLA seats, it won all the four Assembly constituencies in Visakhapatnam. However, one of the four MLAs (Vasupalli Ganesh) recently supported the YSRC government and Ganta is likely to be the second one from the port city to desert the TDP. Sources said that another MLA from Vizag is also in touch with the YSRC leadership.
When asked about the speculation of Ganta deserting the TDP, a senior TDP leader said the former minister has not been associated with the party for a long time. Meanwhile, former minister Galla Aruna Kumari reportedly resigned from the TDP politburo citing personal reasons.
MLAs who ‘left’ TDP
Vallabhaneni Vamsi (Gannavaram), Maddali Giridhar (Guntur West), Karanam Balaram (Chirala) and Vasupalli Ganesh (Visakhapatnam South)