TDP Deputy Leader in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, Kimidi Kala Venkatrao, will join PRP (Praja Rajyam party) after resigning from TDP due to his differences with K. Yerranaidu. Kala is the second Deputy Leader to quit Telugu Desam Party in the last 1 year. Former Deputy Leader T. Devender Goud quit TDP and formed a new party, Nava Telangana Praja Party (NTPP), which formed an alliance with PRP. Efforts by TDP senior leaders to stop his resignation failed as Party is still relying more on his opponent Yerranaidu.
Kala Venkatrao is representing Vunukur Assembly constituency in Srikakulam district which was disappeared in the de-limitation process. He wanted to contest from either Etcherla Assembly or Vizianagaram Loksabha constituencies. TDP failed to give him an assurance which hastened his decision. TDP will be in trouble in Srikakulam district due to the exit of Kala Venkatrao who is one of the senior most leaders in the Party and can wield influence in at least 5 Assembly constituencies.
Kala will be invited by PRP President Chiranjeevi through video conference and will officially join PRP at a later date in Hyderabad. Kala is the second senior leader after Thammineni Veerabhadram to quit Telugu Desam Party from Srikakulam district to join Praja Rajyam Party. Srikakulam is the the bastion of TDP during NTR days and is traditionally an Anti-Congress district. NTR even contested from Tekkali in Srikakulam district in 1994. There are still people in that district who blindly vote for Cycle symbol- that is the influence of NTR in this BC-dominated district. We will see triangular contests in most of the Assembly segments in Srikakulam district. According to a survey by Indian Express, PRP and Congress are ahead in this district.
TDP President Chandrababu Naidu should be careful in selecting next Assembly Deputy Leader.
