2 TD MLAs fall to Operation Akarsh

​Hyderabad: A day after the Telangana Congress Legislature Party (CLP) merged with the TRSLP in the state Legislative Council, it is now the turn of TDP’s two newly elected MLAs to switch sides.

According to sources, the TRS has made all arrangements to welcome the two Telugu Desam MLAs into the TRS fold. 
The TDP MLAs – S Venkata Veeraiah (Sattupally) and M Nageshwara Rao (Ashwaraopet) are likely to switch the loyalty to take the leap of faith sooner than later.  Even as the two MLAs denied the reports of their quitting the party, the TRS leaders maintained that the duo will join the TRS any time. 

There is intense speculation that Veeraiah is tipped to be taken into Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s new cabinet to be formed by this month-end. Party sources said the TRS leadership had initial round of talks with the two legislators and that Rao has already made up his mind to join the TRS. KCR too, it is learnt, has given green signal for admitting them into the TRS. 

In the case of Veeraiah, the TRS leadership has asked the TDP leader to quit as the TTD (Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams) Board member since it was allotted by the neighbouring AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. 

Sources said that Veeraiah has brought to the notice of KCR that he is already enjoying a post to the rank of nearly cabinet minister in the AP government. He requested the TRS supremo to accommodate him in the state cabinet. 
The issue of inducting Veeraiah into the Telangana cabinet is left to the discretion of the CM. Once clarity emerges on the particular issue, Veeraiah will join the TRS. 

The other MLA Rao rubbished the reports and ruled out joining the TRS. However, the two MLAs held a meeting with their close aides and leaders in their respective Assembly constituencies and discussed the political implications if they joined the TRS.

Sources said that after returning from his north India tour, KCR will hold another round of meeting with the two TDP MLAs and admit them into his party. The TDP won only two seats of the 13 it contested as a constituent of the Congress-led People’s Front in the just concluded Telangana Assembly. 

In the 2014 elections, the TDP won 15 seats. By the time the first two years of the five-year term completed, the TDLP with a strength of  12 MLAs merged with the TRSLP. Among the three left over MLAs, A Revanth Reddy joined the Congress subsequently and the other two others – Veeraiah and R Krishnaiah continued as TDP members in the Assembly.