The stage seems to be set for Vijayawada East MLA Yalamanchili Ravi’s entry into Telugu Desam Party. Mr Ravi met a few important TDP leaders in Hyderabad on Thursday, and is set to meet the party leader N. Chandrababu Naidu some time on Friday.
Mr. Ravi, son of former MLA Yalamanchalli Nageswara Rao, has been associated with both Congress and TDP in the past. His father contested several times as MLA with Congress ticket, but lost to arch rival Devineni Rajasekhar. He however got elected to the Assembly only after he shifted to the TDP after Mr. Rajasekhar joined Congress.
Mr. Ravi himself was elected to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation as a Congress corporator in the past. He was however elected to the State Assembly with Praja Rajyam Party ticket defeating Congress rival Mr. Rajasekhar in 2009. He came back to the Congress fold only after PRP was merged with the party.
Mr. Ravi’s stint in the Congress was uncomfortable because it was difficult to sail with long-time rival, Mr. Rajesekhar.
DisappointmentIt was not possible for Mr Ravi to hide his disappointment after the party rejected tickets to all the aspirants proposed by him for the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation divisions in Vijayawada East Constituency recently.