R. Yerrapatrudu, who is leading an agitation of farmers displaced by Anrak Alumina Company at Makavarapalem, joined the Congress on Thursday. He rejoined the party, in the presence of Minister for Investments and Infrastructure Ganta Srinivasa Rao at his native village Venkatapuram. Mr. Srinivasa Rao welcomed Mr. Yerrapatrudu into the party along with his supporters and assured that he would take up the demand of the displaced on allotment of land and other benefits with the Chief Minister.
Narsipatnam MLA B. Mutyalapapa, MLC D.V. Suryanarayana Raju, MLAs U.V. Ramanamurthy Raju and Ch. Venkatramaiah, Chairman of Etikoppaka Sugar Factory Rambhadra Raju, and Chairman of DCCB Sukumara Varma were present.
Mr. Yerrapatrudu’s agitation for a better deal for farmers had resulted in the district administration serving a show-cause notice some time ago as to why he should not be externed from the district for six months. Though Mr. Yerrapatrudu gave his reply to the show-cause notice, there was no reply from the administration. Mr. Yerrapatrudu was with the CPI for a long time. Later, he joined the BJP and then the Telugu Desam. Then, he switched over to the Congress during the 2004 elections, joined the Praya Rajyam, and contested on that party ticket from Narsipatnam in the 2009 elections, when Mr. Srinivasa Rao was elected from Anakapalle.
His switching over from one party to another depended on his rivalry with TDP leader Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu.
He did not join the Congress along with other PR leader and remained neutral, concentrating on the Anrak-affected people.
