KURNOOL : In a rude jolt to the Opposition TDP, several prominent leaders in Dhone, Alur, and Kodumur Assembly constituencies on Friday ditched their boss N Chandrababu Naidu and joined the YSRC camp.
The leaders are: Former MLC Masala Padmaja (Alur), former MLA Kothakota Prakash Reddy alias Gaddam Prakash Reddy (Kodumur) and TDP leader Kotla Hari Chakrapani Reddy, a close relative of Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy (Kodumur), and TDP leader and former Chippagiri MPP Vaikuntam Mallikarjuna Chowdary (Alur).
Meanwhile, family members of former minister KE Prabhakar and his brother KE Pratap, from Dhone Assembly segment are set to bid goodbye to TDP and join the ruling party in the next one or two days.
Further fortifying the YSRC, one BJP leader Kuruva Shesikala from Aluru Assembly segment joined the ruling party.
The TDP leaders joined the YSRC after Naidu did not allot them tickets to contest in the Assembly elections.
The sudden shifting of the political tectonic plates might hurt the interests of the NDA candidates. For instance, in Dhone, former Union Minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy is contesting on TDP ticket against Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy.
In Alur, B Veerabhadra Goud is contesting on TDP ticket against Virupakshi and in Kodumur, Boggula Dastagiri is contesting on TDP ticket against Dr Adimulapu Satish. The decision of the leaders to join the YSRC might hurt the prospects of the Kurnool TDP Lok Sabha candidate Bastipati Nagaraju.
KE family to quit TDP for being neglected
KE Prabhakar is the brother of former deputy chief minister KE Krishna Murthy. The KE family has its roots very deep in the constituency. The family belongs to Backward Classes in Rayalaseema region.
The KE family has been serving the TDP since the inception of the party in 1982. Now only KE Shyambabu, (son of KE Krishna Murthy), got TDP ticket for Pathikonda. The KE family, upset with the Chandrababu Naidu neglecting them, has decided to leave the party.
KE Prabhakar served as minister for two terms in the past when the TDP was in power. He served as an MLC also and held key posts in the party. With KE Prabhakar, his followers including former MLAs, and other important leaders are getting ready to take the leap of faith into the YSRC.