Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party’s Telangana unit chairman L. Ramana is likely to join the government of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
Ramana, who has led TDP in Telangana since the split of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, allegedly decided to switch from loyalty after TRS promised him a seat on the Telangana Legislative Council.
TRS leaders, including Panchayat Raj, Minister E. Dayakar Rao, who left the TDP in 2016 to join TRS, held talks with Ramana and offered him as a board member.
The ruling party is reportedly luring Ramana to his camp to attract the possible impact of the recent resignation of former minister Eatala Rajender, who is likely to join BJP later this week.
Rajender, a leader of backward classes, announced his resignation from the State Assembly. He is likely to be re-elected from the Huzurabad constituency as a candidate for BJP.
Ramana is also considered a powerful leader from backward classes and he comes from the combined Karimnagar district. The former MLIT of Jagital who joined TRS is expected to strengthen the ruling party ahead of the by-election in Huzurabad.
The election to six seats of the Legislative Council from the MLA quota is available, while the state governor will also nominate a member in the upper house of the State Legislature. However, the TDP leader is said to be insisting on an assurance from Prime Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Ramana is one of the few leaders left in the TDP in Telangana. Many top TDP leaders have switched to TRS over the past seven years.
The TDP can only win two seats in the 119-member Telangana meeting in 2018. With both MLAs moving to TRS, TDP is not present in the State Assembly.
Source: The Siasat Daily