In Andhra Pradesh, it’s the time to party-hop.
The bifurcation has triggered hectic activity in the political arena with legislators jumping from one party to another in search of greener pastures.
First, the beleaguered Congress has got a filmi boost to its plunging fortunes with Vijayashanthi, an erstwhile popular Telugu film star and firebrand MP from Medak, quitting the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and joining its ranks. Though her exit was on the cards, the question was whether she would go to the BJP or the Congress. She ended speculation by joining the grand old party on Thursday after meeting Sonia Gandhi. Vijayasanthi said her decision was influenced by the Congress move to grant statehood to Telangana.
This is expected to put pressure on TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao (KCR) towards a merger with the Congress, which he had promised earlier, but is now under pressure from party cadres to rethink.
Another TRS legislator, Arvind Reddy from Mancherial in Adilabad district, and former MP Ravindra Naik — both from Telangana — also switched over to the Congress.
The TRS is also attracting legislators from other parties. The TDP is set to be the major sufferer here, with three legislators from Ranga Reddy district deserting its ranks.
However, the Congress is taking big blows from the political turmoil, especially in the Seemandhra region. In the first round of exits, three ministers and five legislators are set to join the TDP shortly. Ministers Ganta Srinivasa Rao (Infrastructure& Shipping) from Visakhapatnam, TG Venkatesh (Minor Irrigation) from Kurnool and Erasu Pratap Reddy (Law & Courts) from Kadapa, along with five legislators, met TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and discussed the modalities of joining his party.
In Anantapur district, former minister JC Diwakar Reddy is waiting in the wings to join the TDP or at least quit the Congress, as he has openly announced.
The plight of the party was best echoed by Jairam Ramesh, who reportedly told members of the Telangana Joint Action Committee that the Congress will be the biggest loser, especially in its traditional strongholds, due to the bifurcation.
Though it stumped political analysts, the counter question that has cropped up is — then why did the party go ahead with the bifurcation, and what is its gameplan?
Kiran’s partySuspense continues on whether former CM Kiran Kumar Reddy will float a new party. Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao hinted that it is all set to be announced. He further claimed that the six MPs suspended from the Lok Sabha over their opposition to the passage of the bifurcation Bill will be part of it.
However, the drifting away of the three ministers (who were close to Kiran) to the TDP is not portending well to the shape of this ‘new party’, which some Kiran loyalists claim would be on the lines of the AAP, dominated by youth and fresh faces. It’s just a matter of days before speculation is put to rest.