Date:22/03/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/03/22/stories/2004032206600400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Congress cadres to join TDP today

By Our Staff Reporter

NIZAMABAD, MARCH 21. In what is being billed as a setback to the Pradesh Congress Committee president, D. Srinivas, in his Nizamabad Assembly constituency, a large number of Congress cadres including a couple of leaders, are set to join the Telugu Desam Party in the presence of the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, in Hyderabad on Monday.

According to sources, a number of staunch followers of the PCC chief and at least two party councillors besides ward and booth committee leaders, along with their supporters, are going to Hyderabad in a rally tomorrow. The leaders and cadres are openly criticising their continued neglect by Mr. Srinivas.

A number of leaders from the town and nearby villages, who backed the Congress for many ears, are now disappointment that they are not being recognised by the party leadership. The town Congress vice-president, Bandal Srinivas, who was a die-hard loyalist of Mr. Srinivas, along with a few others, has decided to part ways with the party. The disgruntled Congress leaders are now mobilising their supporters to quit the party en masse and join the TDP. TDP leaders have also joined hands in mobilising the crowd for the proposed visit to Hyderabad. More than 1,500 Congress cadres and youth groups are being mobilised for the rally.

In another development, a large number of village-level TDP cadres and DWCRA members from Dichpalli and Nizamabad constituencies are joining the Telangana Rastra Samiti in the presence of former MP, Gaddam Ganga Reddy, tomorrow here. TRS sources said that key members of the ruling party in Makloor, Dichpalli and two other mandals are expected to be admitted into the TRS.