The Hindu : Front Page : Kala Venkata Rao joins Praja Rajyam

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Friday, Jan 02, 2009
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Kala Venkata Rao joins Praja Rajyam

Staff Reporter

— Photo: Basheer

THUMBS UP: Former Minister and TDP leader Kala Venkata Rao and Palakonda MLA K. Jogulu react after joining Praja Rajyam at Regidi on Thursday.

SRIKAKULAM: The Telugu Desam Party received a severe jolt in Srikakulam district when its Polit Bureau member Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao resigned from the primary membership of the party and also his membership of the Assembly from Vunukuru constituency.

Telugu Desam MLA from Palakonda, K. Jogulu, and former legislator K. Ganapathi Rao also announced the decision to resign from the party and join Praja Rajyam in the presence of thousands of supporters of Mr. Venkata Rao on Thursday. Another senior leader Tammineni Seetharam had earlier quit the TDP and joined the ranks of Praja Rajyam.

Mr. Venkata Rao put an end to the prolonged speculation about his crossover by announcing his decision to join the Praja Rajyam at a public meeting in his native village. Hectic efforts by the TDP leadership to assuage the ruffled feelings of Mr. Rao, who was sore over the domination of Telugu Desam Parliamentary Party leader K. Yerran Naidu, failed.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Rao came down heavily on Mr. Yerran Naidu for his dictatorial style of functioning forcing several senior leaders in the party to quit. He stated that the TDP lost its pristine glory with the demise of N. T. Rama Rao and that party president Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was running a skeleton without the soul. He said that matters had begun to deteriorate with a coterie surrounding the party president. He said that it was the people’s aspirations to usher in a change through the Praja Rajyam that prompted him to join the PR. Stating that more would quit the Telugu Desam, Mr. Rao said he would soon meet Mr. Chiranjeevi and join the party in his presence.

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