The presence of TDP MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar from Denduluru in a programme of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy here on Friday provided gist to rumour hills. He took the help of DCC president K. Subbarayudu to get an audience with Mr. Kiran Kumar Reddy and was seen interacting with Social Welfare Minister Pitani Satyanarayana and Mr. Subbarayudu.
His presence at the ‘rival camp’ seemed to have given credence to speculation doing the rounds in the TDP over his future plans. Mr. Prabhakar, who is considered a firebrand youth leader, is said to be gravitating towards the Congress following overtures from the DCC chief, who also defected from the TDP. He has been staying away from TDP programmes for quite some time. His alleged poor participation in the recent “Vastunna Meekosam” programme of his party president, N. Chandrababu Naidu, reportedly drew the latter’s attention.
According to party insiders, Mr. Naidu admonished him during the programme following complaints from the party’s district president, Tota Sitarama Lakshmi, over his ‘dismal’ contribution to the party. His arch rival and former legislator, Garapati Sambasiva Rao, from his constituency, took an active role in a recent party-sponsored protest on the power problem at Pedapadu in an obvious bid to fill the void being caused by him.
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Mr. Prabhakar found an ally in the Congress when a case under the SC and ST Atrocities Act was booked against him. His association with Mr. Subbarayudu and the Social Welfare Minister reportedly helped him evade arrest. Eluru range DIG G. Suryaprakasa Rao conducted an open hearing in Denduluru constituency to go into the merits of Mr. Prabhakar’s plea for exemption from the case.