(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The five TDP lawmakers made the announcement after they met Telangana Rashtra Samithi founder president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
In a major setback to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Telangana four members of the legislative assembly and an member of the legislative council from the party have announced their decision to resign from the party and join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) triggering off political migrations in the newly-formed state.
The TRS is fast emerging as the preferred destination for political migratory birds seeking greener pastures.
The five TDP lawmakers made the announcement after they met TRS founder president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at his camp office in Hyderabad.
The legislators — T Srinivas Yadav T Krishna Reddy Prakash Goud and Ch. Dharma Reddy and MLC Gangadhar Goud — switched loyalties and would be formally joining the TRS at a public rally next week.
Emerging from their meeting with the chief minister the TDP leaders claimed that their decision was guided by a desire to develop the new state under the leadership of KCR as the chief minister is known and help achieve the goal of “Bangaru Telangana” (Golden Telangana). Ending weeks of suspense the TDP legislators’ visit to CM’s office was dramatic with the media being alerted minutes before the meeting.
TRS sources said that some more TDP legislators from Telangana could join the ruling party soon. In the 119-member Telangana assembly TDP has 15 seats and with the latest round of exits the tally has come down to 11. In the last few weeks a number of Congress TDP and YSR Congress (YSRC) MLAs switched their loyalties forcing their legislature parties to file disqualification petitions with the assembly speaker.
Talking to mediapersons after the meeting reporters Srinivas Yadav a TDP veteran who had served as minister in the past regretted that the TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was forcing them to hit the streets in protest against the TRS government despite the latter’s best efforts to put the newly-carved out state on the path of development.
Yadav also referred to Naidu naming his son Nara Lokesh to lead the party in Telangana. “He wants to make it look as if there is no TDP leadership in the new State. All this makes us feel bad and after decades of being with the TDP and we are completely disillusioned” he said.
Krishna Reddy another TDP veteran regretted that 33 years of his work with the TDP was not recognised or rewarded.
“We are sons of Telangana soil and we feel it is time we quit the TDP and join hands with a leader who is sincere about giving the new State an identity of its own apart from safeguarding the self-respect of the people of Telangana. We will strive to take Hyderabad into the big league of international cities.”
Political analysts believe that KCR is out to marginalise the TDP and the Congress particularly the former in Telangana. -newskhaleejtimes.com
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