Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Resignations rattle Telugu Desam

VISAKHAPATNAM: Stung by sudden resignation of Telugu Desam urban district president C.M.A. Zaheer Ahmad and reports on exodus of several senior leaders to Praja Rajyam, the party high command on Saturday launched a fire-fighting operation.

It is understood that on the directive of TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu, party’s parliamentary party leader K. Yerran Naidu arrived in the city and held an emergency meeting of party activists at Pandimetta office.

He explained to them that the party had bright prospects in the next elections and that there was no need for them to join the party floated by actor Chiranjeevi.

Immediately after Dr. Zaheer Ahmad, a close lieutenant of Chodavaram MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, sent in his resignation letter quitting TDP, his car was stoned forcing him to lodge a complaint in the One Town Police Station on Friday night.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Dadi Veerabhadra Rao and Visakha Dairy Chairman Adari Tulasi Rao went to the house of Mr. Srinivasa Rao and tried to convince him not to quit TD. Mr. Srinivasa Rao and former Pendurthy MLA Ganababu along with Dr. Zaheer Ahmad, according to speculation, are planning to join Praja Rajyam.

After the meeting, which lasted for three hours, Mr. Veerabhadra Rao told reporters that they came voluntarily to interact with Mr. Srinivasa Rao and clarified that Mr. Chandrababu Naidu had not given any direction to them. Mr. Ganababu also took part in the talks.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao later said he had not taken any decision to quit the TDP and confirmed having met Mr. Chiranjeevi sometime ago. Mr. Srinivasa Rao and his supporters are at loggerheads with former MP M.V.V.S. Murthi. Former TDP MLA S.A. Rehaman was the first to shift his loyalty to Praja Rajyam.

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