It looks like taking U-turns have become a natural habit for the Telugu Desam Party leaders in Andhra Pradesh, starting from party president N Chandrababu Naidu to his party legislators.
Take the fresh case of TDP legislator from Visakhapatnam (north) Ganta Srinivasa Rao.
He was the first party leader who came out in support of the shifting of administrative capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam by the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government, openly defying his party stand.
He even held a meeting of TDP leaders from Visakhapatnam to express solidarity with the Jagan government’s decision. This led to the talk that Ganta would be joining the YSR Congress party sooner or later.
But now, Ganta took a sudden U-turn. He told reporters on Tuesday that it was not so easy for the Jagan government to shift the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam. The courts also will not keep quiet for the hasty decision of shifting capital, he warned.
“As a local MLA, I welcome if the capital comes to Vizag. But I will stand by whatever decision the party will take,” he said.
The former minister also found fault with the Jagan government on its decision to abolish the legislative council just because the TDP got the capital bills referred to the select committee.
“Abolition of legislative council is unreasonable and a hasty decision. YSRC would have got majority if it could wait for a year. The TDP has nothing to lose. Our party has not brought any pressure on the legislative council chairman,” he said.
The TDP legislator, who has been keeping away from party activities, has decided to become active again in the wake of elections to Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation.
Ganta held a meeting with party workers in his office to chalk out the future course of action.