TD men quitting party in droves

Hyderabad, Sept. 1: Many leaders of the Telugu Desam are quitting the party in search of greener pastures. Prominent leaders including Mr Tammineni Sitaram, Mr Nimmala Kristappa and Ms Saraswati are among those who are leaving the party. Mr Tammineni, who has been battling the TD parliamentary party leader, Mr K. Yerrannaidu, to retain supremacy in Srikakulam, is all set to join Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam this week.

The Anantapur leader, Mr Nimmala Kristappa, has a different story. After delimitation his Gorantla constituency has been merged with the Penugonda constituency represented by Paritala Ravi’s wife, Ms Sunita. As the TD would not replace Ms Sunita, Mr Kristappa has decided to move out of the party and try his luck elsewhere. Similarly, the former minister from Kadapa, Ms Saraswati, who failed to get a seat during the 2004 elections, has also decided to quit the TD. She is in touch with both the Congress and the Praja Rajyam.

The exit of the senior leader, Mr Kotagiri Vidyadhara Rao, has already proved costly for the TD as more than five former MLAs followed his footsteps and joined Praja Rajyam. Mr P. Kanakasudara Rao, Mr Srinivasa Rao, Mr Narasimha Raju, and Mr Raghavendra Rao joined the Chiranjeevi camp on Monday. Mr Ramesh Reddy of Kadapa has also shifted his loyalty to the Praja Rajyam. The former minister and sitting MLA, Mr Ayyanna Patrudu, meanwhile, is in a dilemma as his rival in the Visakhapatnam district, Mr Ganta Srinivasa Rao, is also planning to quit the party.

"They don’t want to join the same party," said a TD source. "One might join the Congress and the other Praja Rajyam." Leaders in West Godavari district are the most restive lot. Almost all MLAs and former MLAs are either veering towards the Congress or the Praja Rajyam.

Among them are industrialist Ms Ambica Krishna from Eluru, and former whip, Mr Gadde Babu Rao, from Chipurupally. "The party may face a washout in the entire costal districts as leaders are doubtful whether it would return to power," said another leader from West Godavari district.

There are also reports of a possible exodus from East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore and Chittor districts.

Whereas, the Leader of the Opposition and Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, is upset over media speculation about party leaders joining Chiru’s party. He strongly refuted media speculation about shifting of loyalties by the former ministers Mr Ayyanna Patrudu and Mr Subba Rayudu to Chiru’s party.

Mr Ayyanna Patrudu met Mr Naidu in the Assembly premises and denied reports that he was likely to migrate to the Praja Rajyam. A peeved Mr Naidu blamed the media for circulating rumours. He stated that former minister, Mr Subba Rayudu too criticised media speculation.