Vijayawada: A rude shock awaited the TD leadership on Saturday, the first day of the Nav Nirmana Deeksha. TD state general secretary Anam Ramnarayan Reddy announced his decision to quit the party. Despite immediate efforts from the Telugu Desam headquarters to calm ruffled feathers, Mr Reddy didn’t show any inclination to change his mind and continue with the party.
In fact, Ramnarayan Reddy, has been maintaining his distance from the party for the last few months. He had reportedly conveyed his decision to the party emissary on late Friday night and made it clear that he was not interested in continuing his association with the Telugu Desam party.
Later, in a communication addressed to the TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday, Mr Anam Ramnarayan Reddy urged Mr Naidu to relieve him from the party’s responsibilities with immediate effect. He has cited personal reasons for his resignation.
Close observers of the TD party activities opined that they could see this coming as Mr Reddy had been away from the party activities for the last few months. He had also skipped Mahanadu. However, his reason for not attending Mahanadu was not conveyed properly to Mr Chandrababu Naidu, by the leaders.
During Mahandu itself, senior leaders had noticed a distance between Mr Reddy and Mr Naidu.
In a last minute patch-up bid, inside sources reveal that the TD offered Ramnarayan, an advisory post with Cabinet rank as well as Nellore district’s party president post. But he declined the offer. His supporters stated that Mr Reddy had held the same position two decades ago, and for that reason itself he had declined the offer.
In Mr Reddy’s recent remarks, he had highlighted the decreasing popularity of the government.
In later development on Saturday, Mr Ramnarayan Reddy was informed over a telephone call, by the minister for MA & UD, P. Narayana, that the CM wanted to convene Maha Sankalpa Deeksha in Nellore on June 8. The minister told Mr Reddy that CM specifically wanted his presence on the concluding day of Maha Sankalpa Deeksha, in Atmakur constituency. However, reportedly, Mr Reddy expressed his helplessness in honouring the CM's word.
It may be recalled that when rumours about his quitting first buzzed, several leaders had been in touch with Mr Reddy to convince him to not quit.
to leave the party. It is learnt that Mr. Ramnarayan Reddy was annoyed with the way the party Chief dealt with him.
