Congress leader to join TRS

In a major setback to the main opposition Congress in Telangana, a senior leader is all set to join ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Former minister D. Srinivas on Wednesday met Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who is also the president of TRS, amid reports that he has finally made up his mind to quit Congress.

Srinivas, a former president of Andhra Pradesh unit of the Congress, is likely to join TRS at a public meeting in his native district of Nizamabad.

Two other former ministers D. Nagender and Sudershan Reddy and some other leaders are also likely to switch loyalties to TRS.

Srinivas, a backward class leader, was unhappy with the Congress leadership for not nominating him to the Telangana legislative council for another term.

He was also unhappy over the manner in which Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh was running the party affairs in the state.

In a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi, Srinivas had complained that he was being ignored in the decision-making. He, however, did not receive any response which is believed to have prompted him to join the TRS.

Many Congress leaders including five legislators have joined TRS since the latter came to power in the newly-created state last year.

Meanwhile, Congress' Telangana unit chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said no leader was leaving the party and there was no truth in reports that Srinivas and other senior leaders are joining TRS.