Elamanchili MLA U.V. Ramana Murthy Raju (Kannababu) is all set to come back to the Congress after it was clear that Telugu Desam, to which he switched over along with former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and three other MLAs, would not be giving him party ticket.
The latest indication is that Mr. Kannababu will be fielded as Congress candidate from Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency, a seat for which the party is struggling to find candidates. Mr. Ramana Murthy Raju wanted to contest from Elamanchili from where he was elected twice but Telugu Desam local leaders were opposed to his candidature. The YSR Congress is also not reportedly keen on taking him since he worked against the party candidates in the elections to the Elamanchili municipality and the ZPTC and MPTC elections in Elamanchili segment area. At one stage the MLA announced that he would contest as an independent if the Telugu Desam did not field him as its candidate (to keep his flock together).
Gajuwaka MLA Ch. Venkatramaiah is all to come back to the Congress with an assurance of being fielded again after Telugu Desam made it clear that he would not be getting ticket.
Mr. Ganta Srinivasa Rao is yet to decide his constituency, while the fate of other Congress MLAs M. Srinivasa Rao of Bheemunipatnam and P. Ramesh Babu of Pendurthi, who joined the Telugu Desam along with the former Minister, is not yet known. Rumours are that Mr. Ramesh Babu will be sent to Elamanchili, Mr. Ganta Srinivasa Rao will contest from Bheemunipatnam, while Mr. M. Srinivasa Rao will be made to contest for Lok Sabha from Anakapalle or find himself left out.
