Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

TD MLA quits; to join Praja Rajyam

VISAKHAPATNAM: Chodavaram MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao has tendered his resignation to the post of legislator as also to primary membership of the Telugu Desam Party on Sunday.

He will join Praja Rajyam on October 9, the auspicious day of Vijayadasami. The decision to quit the party was taken on Saturday after a meeting of the cadres in his Assembly constituency.

Mr. Rao’s resignation was in the air for sometime following his differences with a section of leaders, notwithstanding intervention by TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu. The latter also kept counselling Mr. Rao not to leave the party.

Besides, there was pressure on the Chodavaram MLA from his followers who were mostly youth, that he should move into Praja Rajyam. Mr. Srinivasa Rao was putting off the decision for long, but now found the time to be most opportune, with the film star likely to begin his tour from north Andhra shortly.

Beginning his career as an advertisement executive in a daily nearly two decades ago in the city, Mr. Srinivasa Rao had a meteoric rise in politics.

He is also credited with starting many educational institutions.

When he was chosen by the TDP to contest the Anakapalle Lok Sabha seat a decade ago, he won quite impressively for a debutant, defeating former Minister Gudivada Gurunatha Rao.

“I have joined politics to serve the society and not to make money. I have spent my own funds apart from party and government funds on the people. The youth are with me. I will have to live up to their expectations. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu had always been kind to me. But there is jealousy and envy within the party and there is no way he can stop it. As this is a major decision, I had to ponder over it for long before taking it,” he told The Hindu.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Durga puja celebrations begin on a grand scale
Trendy automobiles lure Vizagites
TD MLA quits; to join Praja Rajyam
Onam celebrated with gaiety
Garib rath likely from October 16
Protest resignations in TDP minority cell
Competitions to be held for children, women
Three arrested
Taxi driver attacked
Chairmen of ward panels
Visakhapatnam Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu