The Telugu Desam Party continued to suffer the jolts with another senior leader from coastal Andhra region indicating that he was on the way out. M Pedda Rathaiah, four time legislator and former minister from Guntur district, held a meeting with his supporters and followers at his residence on Saturday to take a final decision about his political future.
According to the party sources, Pedda Rathaiah was angry with the party leadership as he was not given a place in the TDP's district core committee. Feeling slighted, Pedda Rathaiah decided to quit the party.
He took the decision a day after the former TDP MP from Nandyal Bhuma Nagi Reddy and his wife former MLA Shobha resigned from the TDP and decided to join film star Chiranjeevi's camp.
The sources said Pedda Rathaiah, who was also the Guntur district unit president of the party in the past, has made up his mind to head towards Chiranjeevi camp. If it turns out to be true, then it will be a big gain for the film star even before formally launching his party.
Rattled by this development senior, TDP leaders have started efforts to placate Pedda Rathaiah. N Harikrishna, son of party founder NT Rama Rao contacted him over phone and pleaded not to quit the party with which he was associated from the days of NTR. "There is no issue which can not be resolved through talks," Harikrishna reportedly told him. However, this is unlikely to change the mind of the veteran leader.
Meanwhile, Bhuma and Shobha Nagi Reddy held a massive show of strength in Kurnool on Saturday. They came to Kurnool city in a process of 250 vehicles carrying their supporters and formally tendered their resignations from the TDP.
'The party has failed to protect and take care of its workers," Bhuma Nagi Reddy said. Though he did not announce his future plans, the slogans of "Chiranjeevi Zindabad" by his supporters clearly indicated where he was heading.