Hyderabad: The impending bifurcation is already having its effect on the Telugu Desam party with two MLAs and an MLC from Ranga Reddy district are quitting the party and joining the TRS. Telugu Desam MLAs K.S. Ratnam (Chevella) and P. Mahender Reddy (Tandur) and MLC Narender Reddy met TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao in New Delhi on Tuesday and expressed their desire to join the TRS.
Mr Rao welcomed the three leaders along with other party leaders and cadres from the district into the party fold. They will soon take TRS membership in a function. “We joined the TRS as it alone can take up reconstruction of the new state of Telangana under the leadership of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao. We will strive for the development of Telangana under his leadership,” Mr Ratnam said. Mr Mahender Reddy echoed similar views and said that under the stewardship of KCR, Telangana would progress. Meanwhile, the word in TD circles is that more party MLAs might quit in the coming days.
Telugu Desam has been suffering setbacks in Telangana region since the party’s dual stand on the bifurcation issue and many have deserted the party at regular intervals. The party, which has 35 MLAs, also suffered severe debacles in the by-elections, at times even losing the deposits. Though the party gave a letter supporting Telangana in 2008, party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu continued with his “two eyes” policy till the end and tried his best to stall the bifurcation of the state by seeking help of all major national and regional parties, but in vain. However, the Telugu Desam is gaining ground in Seemandhra with many Congress leaders contemplating joining the party.
