ONGOLE: After the switch over of former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, the name of another prominent leader Siddha Raghava Rao in Prakasam district is doing the rounds in the political circles as he is likely to join the NDA soon. The businessman turned politician left YSRC a few months back and since then news spread that he would join the TDP immediately. But, there was some delay for his comeback.
People in the know of things say that his entry into the TDP was ‘stalled’ by the party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu as Nara Lokesh strongly opposed it stating a few reasons, including Sidda family changing over of political loyalties from the TDP to the YSRC though they were placed in top positions both in the party as well as in the government.
It may be recalled that Siddha served as the R&B Minister in the TDP government, and also worked as the TDP treasurer. Since then, he has been reportedly trying relentlessly for re-entry into the TDP.
In this connection, Siddha recently met Naidu to hand over the donation towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. But, it ended in a very brief interaction and no decision took place regarding the re-entry of the former minister into the TDP. According to his close followers, their leader didn’t stop his attempts to knock the TDP high command door, and he met the top leadership a couple of times secretly and he had almost succeeded in his attempt to rejoin the TDP.
The former minister has a clean political life except his switch-over of the TDP to the YSRC. Only thing obstructing his re-entry into the TDP is the time, which is not in favour of him right now. However, our leader informed us that very soon, we will hear good news about his new position. We have strong faith in his words,” a close aide of Siddha told TNIE. Most of his followers still strongly believe that the TDP will welcome their leader once again, and he will get a nominated post soon.