Suspension of Telugu Desam MLA from Gudivada Kodali Venkateswara Rao, alias Nani, and politburo member Uppuleti Kalpana has sparked off a war of words between the duo and other TD leaders, even as the party faces a crisis in Krishna district.
Stung by Mr Nani’s venomous attack on party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, the latter’s loyalists hit back, saying the suspended MLA had “betrayed” the TD and alleged that he was corrupt. Mr Nani’s decision has created confusion among party circles in Gudivada, the native constituency of party founder-president N.T. Rama Rao.
Ms Kalpana too a leaf from Mr Nani’s book and spat fire on Mr Naidu, reiterating that he, too, had dumped the Congress to join TD. “There is no place in TD for people from Backward Class and weaker sections. The party has different rules for the downtrodden and upper castes,” she said, adding, “How can he (Mr Naidu) ask people to revolt against those who quit the party, when he himself had left the Congress to join TD?
The two also flayed Mr Naidu for taking a unilateral decision to suspend them from the party without issuing a showcause notice and seeking their explanation. Like Mr Nani, who has made no bones about his proximity to YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, one of the main reasons for which he was shown the door, Ms Kalpana also said she is a close family friend of Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, a YSRC MP.
She said she had called on the MP to console the death of his mother. Sources said Mr Naidu was closeted with party leaders on Wednesday and asked them to counter Mr Nani’s attack. Seemingly taking a cue, MLC Rajender Prasad said, “Mr Nani is another Lakshmi Parvathi in the making. The man, who claimed NTR as his guru, ditched the TD due to greed. He will perish soon.” Alluding that Mr Nani was bought out, TD politburo member K. Yerrannaidu said people would never forgive those who betrayed the party in lure of a “package”.
Meanwhile, Nuzvid MLA Chinnam Ramakotaiah too had distanced himself from the party’s programmes since the last two months complaining that he has not been accorded due recognition, adding to the TD’s woes.