Congress legislator in Telangana resigns, to join TRS

The Congress in Telangana received a setback Sunday when its one of the legislators quit the party and announced his decision to join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Koram Kanakaiah, a member of legislative assembly representing Yellandu in Khammam district, resigned from the main opposition party. He will be joining the TRS Monday.

Kanakaiah, who was elected from Yellandu in the elections in held in April, had called on Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao two days ago.

He is the first legislator to switch loyalties after the elections, which saw TRS storming to power to form first government in the newly-created Telangana state.

Kanakaiah's resignation will bring down Congress' tally in 119-member assembly to 20. The TRS bagged 63 seats in the elections to form the government on its own.

His resignation from the Congress came a day after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) suffered a shock in the same district with the resignation of its senior leader T. Nageswara Rao. The former state minister quit TDP along with his followers and announced their decision to join the TRS.

The resignations of TDP and Congress leaders and their joining of TRS is expected to strengthen the ruling party in Khammam district, where it is considered weak.

In fact, TRS recorded its worst poll performance in Khammam district, bordering Andhra Pradesh. The party could win only one out of 10 assembly seats in the district.