Even as the resignation of two tainted Ministers and Opposition baying for the blood of three more Ministers have landed the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh in turmoil, yet another shock appears to be in store for it.
Three Congress lok Sabha members from the Telangana region along with another senior party leader called on Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao and gave a clear commitment that they will quit the Congress and join the TRS in the first week of June.
Those who met Rao at a farmhouse in Medak district include M Jagannadham, S Rajaiah and G Vivekanand (all MPs) and K Keshav Rao, former member of the Congress Working Committee. Apart from KCR, other senior leaders of the TRS were also present on the occasion. Kadiam Srihari, who recently quit the TDP to join the TRS also participated in the discussions.
According to sources, they told the TRS leader that if the Congress High Command does not take a decision on Telangana by May 30, they will join the TRS.
KCR, however, wanted them to take the plunge before May 30 as he was in the process of finalising the list of party’s candidates for the lok Sabha. But the MPs said that as they had set the deadline of May 30 for the Congress leadership, it will not be proper for them to quit the party before that.
The Congress leaders’ move to meet KCR came against the backdrop of the remarks of AICC spokesperson PC Chacko’s remarks that Telangana issue was not on the agenda of the UPA. It has left Telangana leaders fuming as it was seen a clear indication that the Congress leadership was not in a mood to grant Telangana State before the next elections.
Sources said that the number of MPs jumping the Congress boat to join the TRS may go up further as two more MPs were willing to follow the suit.
However, senior State Minister from the Telangana region Jana Reddy made it clear that he will not quit the Congress. “I will continue to fight for Telangana by remaining in the party,” he said.
Plaint to CBI against KCR
Expelled TRS leader Raghunandan on Tuesday met CBI Joint Director lakshminarayana and gave a written complaint against TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and his nephew and TRS MlA T Harish Rao. Alleging that the TRS leaders were involved in extortion of money from the industrialists and businessmen in the Telangana region, he demanded that the CBI should take up investigation against them.
Raghunandan, who has been making allegations of extortion against Harish Rao, told the reporters that the CBI Joint Director told him that the agency will consult the legal experts before taking any action on the issue.
Raghunandan had earlier met the Director General of Police, V Dinesh Reddy to demand security for him and his family alleging that he was facing threat from the TRS leaders.