The plenary has once again exposed the rumblings within the ruling TRS. It has now emerged that Jalagam Venkat Rao, son of former CM Jalagam Vengal Rao, a senior leader and a MLA, refused to attend the plenary of the party. Despite being invited, he chose to skip the meeting. Now questions are being asked as to whether he would remain in the TRS or is he looking for greener pastures.
Ever since his shock defeat from Kothagudem in 2019 elections, Jalagam Venkat Rao has fallen silent. He has not attended party programmes. Now, he has even skipped the plenary. Venkat Rao, a known YSR acolyte before he joined the TRS, was the only one to win on TRS ticket in 2014. In 2018, he lost to Vanama Venkateswara Rao of the Congress from Kothagudem.
In the later developments, Vanama joined the TRS. Jalagam, who was deeply upset by this, fell silent and began distancing himself from the party. He even skipped a recent meeting held by KTR on MLC elections. Despite having an invitation, he chose not to attend the plenary.
Sources say that both the Congress and the BJP leaders have met Jalagam Venkat Rao. They have reportedly invited him into their respective parties. Though Jalagam did not respond to their requests, sources say that he is now weighing his options. If he joins any other party, that would surely be a big blow for the TRS, say analysts.