TDP MLA K P Vivekananda joins TRS party

The Telangana Telugu Desam party received a major jolt on Tuesday when the party legislator from Qutbullapur K P Vivekananda joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the presence of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

The future of TDP which has an existence of over three decades here is now facing a major political challenge. Vivekananda is the sixth MLA from Hyderabad and surrounding Ranga Reddy district to have joined the TRS. The TTDP had won 15 assembly seats in the 2014 general elections which were held immediately after the bifurcation of the state. 

It is being said that at least three more MLAs are likely to switch loyalties to the TRS. Names doing the rounds are TDP Serlingampally MLA Arikepudi Gandhi and Rajendranagar



MLA Prakash Goud. While TTDP president L Ramana accused the TRS of using all tactics and foul means to woo the opposition MLAs and leaders, Gandhi denied reports that he was quitting the party.

He said he was attracted by the development and welfare programmes of Chief Minister KCR who was receiving support from all sections irrespective of caste, religion and region.  He further said that he had worked with KCR earlier and he felt that working under him would help doing justice to the people.

Vivekananda also said that the TDP was no doubt a good party, but after bifurcation of the state, it’s leader N Chandrababu Naidu had confined himself to Andhra Pradesh and was not able to take interest in problems of Telangana.