A couple of days after the visit of YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy to East Godavari district to launch Jagananna Vidya Kanuka programme, turmoil has erupted in the district Telugu Desam Party.
Former minister and senior TDP legislator from Rajahmundry Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary has announced resignation from the party, expressing resentment over the humiliation meted out to him from the party leadership, particularly TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh.
Despite having a telephonic talk with Naidu on Wednesday night and holding talks with other seniors like N Chinna Rajappa and Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy, Buchaiah Chowdary has not changed his mind. He is expected to put in his papers on August 25.
Sources said the YSRC leadership has already laid the bait for Buchaiah Chowdary and soon after quitting the TDP, he would take a plunge into the ruling party. It is learnt Buchaiah got in touch with Jagan during his recent visit to East Godavari district.
Interestingly, if sources are to be believed, another senior TDP leader from East Godavari district is also expected to call it quits to the party and join the YSRC soon.
Former MLA Jyothula Nehru, who had been in the YSRC in the past and defected to the TDP later, is expected to return to the YSRC.
Nehru, who suffered a heart attack, was admitted to Bollineni Hospital in Rajajundry recently for treatment and he is now recovering fast.
The TDP chief called him up and enquired about his health and several party leaders also called on him in the hospital.
But what surprised many was the way several YSRC leaders also made a beeline to the hospital to enquire about his health.
Among those who went to the hospital to call in Nehru were state agriculture minister Kurasala Kannna Babu and MLAs Jakkampudi Raja and Satti Suryanarayana Reddy, who also hails from the same district.
Sources close to him said there was no surprise in the YSRC leaders calling on Jyothula Nehru in the hospital because he has friendly relations with all parties. But many others suspect that the YSRC leadership is trying to bring him back into the party.
Like Buchaiah, Jyothula Nehru, too, has been keeping away from the TDP activities for quite some time. In fact, he openly expressed his resentment when Naidu announced boycott of MPTC and ZPTC elections a few months ago, stating that it was suicidal for the party.
Maybe, he will take a call on defecting to the YSRC after he recovers from his illness and is discharged from the hospital.