Several Congress leaders, who have join both Telugu Desam Party and BJP, after their party miserably failed at 2014 polls in Andhra Pradesh, are now worrying about their political future. Barring few exceptions most of them fail to get any rewards after changing party.
In Telugu Desam leaders like Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, who was considered before the polls by Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi as a a possible replacement for Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, had switched the party with high expectations. Even news leaks were given intentionally by TDP circles stating he would be inducted into the state cabinet with Finance ministry, which he was holding in Kiran Kumar Reddy’s regime. But, even he is not seen nowadays anywhere.
Only exception is former ministers T G Venkatesh, succeeded in bargaining for Rajya Sabha seat. Former union minister K Sai Pratap from Rajampet is also keeping low after joining TDP. Ofcourse, he frankly admitted that he is joining TDP only seeking a better political option to his son-in-law.
The situation is also not different. Former minister Kanna Lakshmi Narayana, who was considered by Sonia Gandhi to appoint as Pradesh Congress president after dividing the state, is also struggling hard to keep him alive in BJP. Though he succeeded to become closer to party general secretary Ram Madhav and party’s legislative council leader Somu Veeraaru, he is failing miserably to come close to all powerful union minister M Venkaiah Naidu.
Former union ministers Kavuru Sambasiva Rao and D Purandeswari, who joined BJP, just before 2014 polls are also maintaining low profile. Purandeswari, who made attempts after joining BJP to become Chairperson of National Commission for Women, has to settle herself as incharge for party’s women wing Mahila Morcha, besides join-incharge for party affairs in Karnataka.
Till recently Purandeswari was seen as a strong critic of her brother-in-law and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu’s governance. However, after the party high command clarified that the party is not in a position to antagonize it’s allay, she was forced to keep quiet. Since then her movements also seems to be restricted.
Few Congress leaders, including former chief minister Kiran Kumar have indicated that they are ready to join and strengthen the party so that to evolve as an alternative by 2019 polls in Andhra Pradesh. But they are keeping quiet after failing to get any positive signals from BJP high-command.
