Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chadrababu Naidu succeeded in dousing the frayed tempers of senior leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao, who dismissed reports that he was planning to switch loyalties to other parties, especially the Congress. He asserted that he would continue to be a “loyal worker” of the TDP.
Mr. Dayakar Rao was closeted with Mr. Naidu for close to an hour on Saturday morning. The meeting assumed significance in the wake of reports that the former was unhappy with the way he was being treated by the party leadership.
Mr. Rao’s tough posturing in support of separate Telangana was not to the liking of the party. The differences came out in the open, giving rise to reports that the senior leader might join the Congress. Mr. Rao had also admitted that he was not satisfied with the treatment meted out to him by the party.
He budged after Mr. Naidu took him into confidence and allayed his apprehensions. That Mr. Naidu was successful in persuading Mr. Rao was evident from the fact that the senior leader announced his decision to support the party’s choice of candidates in the proposed committee for Telangana. The party is said to be preparing ground to announce the members of the Telangana committee in a day or two.
Mr. Rao later left for Khammam along with Mr. Naidu to participate in the party’s Praja Garjana programme.
