Friday, May 3, 2013

Dadi, son quit TD, may meet Jagan


By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, May 2, 2013: As expected, estranged TD leader Dadi Veerabhadra Rao has quit the  party along with his son Dadi Ratnakar, a TD rural unit president. Dadi Veerabhadra Rao faxed his resignation letter to TD chief N.  Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday evening stating that he was unhappy to exit the party, but had to do so due to prevailing circumstances. Rao and his son are expected to hold a meeting in  their stronghold Anakapalli on Friday, and announce their future  course of action.

Meanwhile, there are speculations that he is likely to meet YSR  Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday, and formally join YSRC with his son. Rao, who was the leader of the Opposition in the  Legislative Council openly aired his dissidence on March 10 as the TD  refused to re-nominate him for the MLC post. Interestingly his MLC  term ended on Thursday and he resigned from TD.

Rao had been sulking ever since he was denied nomination and was not taking part in any party activity. He didn’t participate in Naidu’s padayatra and its grand conclusion ceremony in the city. He was never seen in the padayatra except on the birthday of Naidu on April 20, when he came to wish him along with his wife. However, his son Ratnakar actively participated in the TD chief’s walkathon.  

Interestingly, Naidu visited Rao’s home and met his family  during his padayatra in Anakapalli. Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, who was once a minister, had been loyal to TD  since its inception.  He was always in the forefront in attacking the  Opposition in the Legislative Council.

On March 10 Veerabhadra Rao openly criticised Naidu’s leadership  stating that poor BCs don’t have a place in the party. “I was waiting outside his bus like a dog. Yet, he didn’t show the courtesy to call me. I should have been informed in advance about the party’s  decision to replace me with Yanamala Ramakrishnudu,” he had said.

Veerabhadra  Rao immediately after news broke that he had been denied an MLC seat. Rao said that he was hurt not by the denial of nomination,   but due to the humiliation of not conveying it in a proper manner.  Dadiâ?Ts open criticism of the TD leadership has left cadres in disarray. Many TD activists in Anakapalli have threatened to resign  from the party.

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