Telugu Desam Party MLCs Buddha Venkanna, Ashok Babu met Vijayawada former MP Lagadapati Rajagopal at his residence in Vijayawada and held discussions for more than an hour. It is learnt that they invited him to join the TDP to which Rajagopal reportedly refused. He made it clear that he would never enter politics again.
Reportedly, the issue of former MLA Vangaveeti Radha joining TDP also came up for discussion when Lagadapati said that he is likely to do that very soon. He said that Radha was working with an aim to defeat the YSRCP in the upcoming elections. Rajagopal reportedly took Radha to the CM’s residence on Monday night. The date on which Radha would formally join Telugu Desam would be announced only after the party finalises it.
Lagadapati said that the present political situation hinted at the Telugu Desam registering victory. In the recent past, Rajagopal had met Naidu twice raising speculations that he would make a re-entry into politics. There were rumours that Rajagopal suggested that the names of sitting MLAs be changed. At the same time, it is learnt that Lagadapati submitted survey reports about the winning prospects of some sitting MLAs.
The former MP, in his survey, categorised the MLAs into three divisions. In the first category, MLAs with exceptional performance were listed and they would certainly be given party ticket. Those having problems in forging relations with other leaders and those facing problem in leading others were put in the second category. They just have to change their attitude and then everything will be alright.
The most troublesome MLAs were listed in the third category and their number would be nearly 20-25. If these leaders should be changed, alternative people should be searched. He also told the Chandrababu that the party should be so strong that the leader can face any sort of consequences, if the dissidents cause harm.
Radha is inclined to join the TDP because the government resolved issues for which he had been striving for years. The former MLA had vowed to join TDP only after the government distributed house site pattas to those living in hilly areas in Vijayawada. Radha was told that the government studied the whole issue and then only released the GO which reportedly led to the delay in Radha meeting the CM. He is expected to join TDP on March 26.
However, TDP High Command is yet to decide from where he would be contesting the elections. Additionally, during the secret meeting, Chandrababu Naidu asked Radha to campaign actively in various parts of the state for TDP to garner Kapu votes.
