VISAKHAPATNAM: In yet another setback a few days before the local body elections, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) district president and former MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu resigned from the party. Following suit, TDP urban unit vice-president Kothapalli Prabhavati also resigned from the party.
The twin resignations have assumed significance in the wake of recent resignation of its urban president SA Rahman from the party. Rahman joined the YSRC in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday.
A senior TDP leader, however, said desertions and joinings were all part of the ballgame (before any election) and they won’t have any impact on party’s poll prospects. Ramesh Babu, who announced his resignation at a crowded media conference here, said he was resigning from the party as he was unhappy with the recent developments in the TDP. He said it was unfortunate TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu opposed the executive capital in Visakhapatnam. He said though they supported the executive capital plan, the party has asked them to hold meetings against it. He said he welcomed it as the executive capital in Vizag will develop backward north Andhra districts. He said he brought these views to the notice of Naidu.
He thanked the party for giving him a chance to represent Yelamanchili twice in the Assembly. Replying to a query, Ramesh Babu said he has not yet decided about his future. However, he will convene a meeting of his followers soon and “go along with the decision taken by them”.
Ramasubba Reddy joins YSRC
Vijayawada: TDP’s staunch loyalist and former Minister P Ramasubba Reddy joined the YSRC in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday. Ramasubba Reddy said that he joined the YSRC paying heed to the “opinion of his followers”. He hailed the welfare schemes being implemented by the YSRC government. Stating that they lost trust on the leadership of TDP, he said the people defeated the party because of the wrongdoings it committed when in power. With the exit of Ramasubba Reddy and another former Minister C Audinarayana Reddy, who joined the BJP, the TDP now has no noted leader in Jammalamadugu constituency of Kadapa district.