The Telugu Desam Party, which is struggling to sustain its existence in Kadapa district which is dominated by YSR Congress party, received a rude jolt on Tuesday with the virtual revolt of its MLA from Rajampet Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy against the party leadership.
Following reports that Meda, who is also government whip in the state assembly, has been contemplating joining the YSR Congress party, TDP president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu sacked him from the party after meeting a large number of TDP leaders and workers from Rajampet at his Vundavalli camp office.
Within a couple of hours, Meda sought an appointment with YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and is all set to join the party.
His brother Ragurami Reddy is all set to get the party ticket for the next elections from Rajampet.
For quite some time, Meda has been running feud with district TDP president Srinivas Reddy and minister Adinarayan Reddy who defected from YSRC into the TDP.
Apparently, the local TDP leaders are of the view that Meda had been acting as a covert for YSRC, ever since he was denied the cabinet berth while a defector like Adinarayana Reddy could become a minister.
The internal war reached a new high when Meda announced that his brother would contest as YSRC candidate from Rajampet.
He has not been attending the TDP meetings for quite some and has not been accessible even to Naidu over phone.
On Tuesday, Naidu sent a message to Meda to see him and settle the issue, but the MLA did not turn up. That was the last straw and Naidu lost no time in suspending Meda, who is now free to join the YSRC.