Goud moves closer to TDP

Praja Rajyam leader T. Devender Goud, who is understood to have made up his mind to return to his parent party the Telugu Desam, is planning to take several other PR leaders hailing from Telangana along with him.

Mr. Goud who merged his Nava Telangana Party, the outfit he floated after coming out of the TDP, with the PR, is said to be holding confabulations with PR leaders, including those who had unsuccessfully contested the previous elections, to convince them to join the TDP fold.

Mr. Goud, according to sources, sees the TDP as the “only alternative to the ruling Congress” and hence, the need to strengthen it.
Meets Chiru

Mr. Goud who held an hour-long meeting with party president K. Chiranjeevi at the latter’s residence here on Saturday, made no secret of his intentions to quit when he said he would take a final decision after consulting his well-wishers and supporters in four days.

He is learnt to be biding time to mobilise more leaders to desert the PR as it would, in turn, consolidate his position in the TDP where he was earlier acclaimed as number two before quitting the party.
Sees no future in PR

Mr. Goud, according to sources, sees no future in continuing with the PR which is “toeing the line of the ruling Congress” on every crucial issue, contrary to the role of an Opposition party fighting against the government’s policies.

Mr. Goud’s supporters see no threat from TDP senior leaders like Talasani Srinivas Yadav who are vocal in their opposition to the re-entry of leaders “who ditched the party in times of trouble”. “It is natural for leaders like Mr. Yadav who is angling for a plum party post to display his loyalty this way,” a source close to Mr. Goud said.

Mr. Goud told reporters that he had explained to Mr. Chiranjeevi the present political scenario “where democracy is under attack from dictatorial forces”.

Speaking to The Hindu later, Mr. Chiranjeevi said the meeting with Mr. Goud was only one of those he was having with senior leaders on how they could counter the vilification campaign unleashed against the PR.

Asked about the party’s future, he reiterated that the party would continue irrespective of some leaders joining and quitting it.