Congress Member of Parliament from Guntur, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, who has been ‘cold shouldered’ by the party for the second time after being in race for the post of Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, on Sunday said that he was disappointed and would meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon.
At the end of an emotionally surcharged meeting in his residence held with his supporters, Mr. Sambasiva Rao in a resigned tone said, “I have been sidelined by the Congress for the second time and my supporters are forcing me to resign. I will convey my feelings to Ms. Sonia Gandhi.’’
The MP, who had lobbied hard for a berth in the Union Cabinet in UPA-I and UPA-II, had pinned hopes on the post of TTD Chairman in 2011. Mr. Rao had for some time appeared confident after he was ‘sounded,’ about the possibility by a few party seniors.
But his hopes were dashed when senior MP K. Bapiraju was appointed TTD Chairman in August 2011. His hopes were rekindled as Mr. Bapiraju’s tenure was fixed for one year then. But his hopes were dashed again after the State government in a recent order extended the tenure of Mr. Bapiraju.
During the last one year, Mr. Rao’s name has been dragged into an unsavoury controversy involving Tara Chowdary, a woman who was arrested on charges of immoral trafficking of minor girls, further damaging his chances.
