D. Srinivas meets KCR

The ruling pink party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, seemed to be slowly and steadily succeeding in decimating its political opponents by diligently employing KCR’s now famous game plan “ Aakarshan” as a “Brahmastram”.
Thus after Telugu Desam, it is undoubtedly the Congress, which is being reduced to a sinking ship in Telangana State, as senior leaders are literally giving a “ hand” to the “Hand” symbol party and making a beeline to the ruling party.
Speculations about former minister and State Congress Chief in the undivided AP, Dharmapuri Srinivas, jumping the ship came true when he called on Chief Minister and TRS supremo K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday. He, along with his son, met KCR in the latter’s camp office and closeted with him for quite sometime.
After emerging from the meeting, Srinivas refused to divulge details except stating that he would call for a press meet in a day or two and announce when he would formally join the TRS. Earlier before calling on KCR, he is understood to have sent his resignation letter to Congress party.
It may be mentioned here that Srinivas, who, as then APCC president, along with late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy played a crucial role in enabling the Congress to return to power in two successive general elections in the then united Andhra Pradesh. However, there is no denial of the fact that he has been nurturing a grouse against the Congress High Command for denying him an MLC ticket and instead selecting his junior.
According to informed sources, KCR during his discussions with Srinivas, is understood to have assured him either a Rajya Sabha ticket or an MLC seat and that he should formally join the TRS at a public meeting being scheduled in Nizamabad on July 6 to be addressed by the Chief Minister. In fact, after his term in the Legislative Council, his post as leader of the Congress in the Upper House was entrusted to Shabbir Ali. Srinivas hoped that he would get back his post once he gets elected after being nominated as party nominee. But as if to rub salt to injury, Srinivas was not only denied MLC ticket but also his junior was chosen as the party nominee. This turned out to be the proverbial last straw from him to jump the fence.
The meeting of the TRS Lok Sabha member B. Vinod with CLP leader in the Assembly K. Jana Reddy raised many an eye brow in political circles about the senior Congress leader too is waiting in the wings to join the pink brigade. (NSS has some time back reported about it). Speculations are also gaining ground that another Congress leader and former minister Danam Nagender too was waiting for an opportune time to desert the party in favour of TRS though he has been dismissing it as a figment of imagination of the media.
Similarly, actor-turned-politician Jayasudha embracing the pink party is not ruled out in political circles. As a matter of fact, the presence of KCR at the audio release function of Jayasudha’s son’s film triggered off speculations in this regard. This is because KCR had not attended any audio release function of any movie so far and thus attending the “Basthi” movie audio release has led many tongues wagging.
Thus against this fast changing turn of events in the political scenario, rumor mills are working overtime predicting unceremonious burial of TRS adversaries shortly. It is pertinent to note here that after the 2014 elections, as many as five legislators from Congress and four from TDP have already deserted their parties and joined TRS. (NSS)