Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who engineered defection of C Adinarayana Reddy from YSR Congress party into the TDP three years ago, is paying penalty for the same.
Entry of Adinarayana Reddy into the TDP and his elevation to the post of cabinet minister has disturbed the party in Kadapa district, particularly in his native Jammalamadugu constituency.
Former minister P Ramasubba Reddy, who was defeated by Adinarayana Reddy, did not take this defection kindly and it resulted in internal differences within the party.
Though Naidu tried to bring about coordination between the two arch rivals, he could not do so and the TDP in Kadapa was vertically split between the two leaders.
In the recent elections, Naidu forced Adinarayana Reddy to contest as an MP from Kadapa parliamentary constituency and fielded Ramasubba Reddy from Jammalamadugu assembly seat.
Both Adinarayana Reddy and Ramasubba Reddy knew that they would get defeated and exactly, the same thing happened.
Soon after the collapse of the TDP in the assembly elections, one leader after the other started deserting the party, much to the disappointment of Naidu.
Finally, Adinarayana Reddy, who Naidu thought would remain loyal to him, defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The TDP chief thought the party would get back its stability with Adi’s defection, and Ramasubba Reddy would remain loyal to the party. But much to his shock, Ramasubba Reddy is said to be toying with the idea of joining the YSR Congress party.
Recently, Ramasubba Reddy happened to meet YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in Washington airport and both of them shook hands. Both of them had a brief chat.
Later, it is learnt there was a lot backroom negotiations between YSRC leaders and the former TDP minister.
Though Ramasubba Reddy reportedly clarified to Naidu that he would not leave the party, a hush talk is said to be going on in Kadapa that it is only a matter of time that the former minister will take a plunge into the YSRC.
Let us see, what is in store for the TDP in Kadapa!
