The induction of four MLAs into the Cabinet, who defected from YSR Congress to the ruling TDP in the last 13 months, and "overlooking of sincere" partymen for ministerial jobs has triggered discontent among the TDP ranks.
Senior party leader Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy, who was among the five dropped ministers, resigned as MLA, while a few other TDP legislators are reportedly planning to follow suit after consulting their close aides.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today effected a major reshuffle of his Cabinet and inducted his son Nara Lokesh and six others besides the four opposition YSRC MLAs, who had joined the TDP, after dropping five ministers.
While Bojjala Gopala Krishna Reddy, sent his resignation to Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao, another senior MLA from Rajahmundry Rural, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary resigned from the TDP state general secretary's post.
"Please accept this as my resignation from the position of member of AP Legislative Assembly from Srikalahasthi constituency with effect from April 2.
"While I believe that I am moving for good reasons, I am sorry to leave, and I thank you for your support during my time as member of the Assembly," Bojjala said in the letter, which was also sent to the Chief Minister.
Though the Chief Minister himself spoke to Bojjala and sought to placate him, the latter did not budge.
Chandrababu asked state HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh to rush to Hyderabad and speak personally with the peeved leader.
The duo reached Hyderabad in the evening and was closeted in a meeting with Bojjala at his residence.
In a letter addressed to Chandrababu, Chowdary - a five-time MLA and one of the veterans sailing with party since inception in 1982 - regretted that sincere workers who had been toiling hard for the TDP for years were left in the lurch while "opportunists" who entered the party made hay.
"The late N T Ramarao did not establish the TDP to let it become a hub for 'aaya ram, gaya ram'. Is this right to make sincere party workers the scapegoats," he questioned.
"The current politics being pursued by the party is highly abominable. Hence, please accept my resignation from the general secretary's post," Butchaiah said in the letter.
Five-time MLA from Ponnur, Dhulipalla Narendra Kumar has been reportedly asked by his followers to step down in protest against the denial of a Cabinet berth.
Narendra, who had been sulking since yesterday, held a meeting with his followers this afternoon in his hometown.
Pedana MLA Kagita Venkata Rao is also reportedly ready to resign from his post even as several mandal-level leaders of his constituency quit the party.
The MLA's supporters has called for a bandh in Pedana tomorrow.
Denduluru MLA and party whip in the Assembly Chintamaneni Prabhakar was said to have submitted his resignation to Legislature Secretary (in charge) K Satyanarayana Rao.
Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao also announced he would quit his post but was later mollified by the Chief Minister himself.
In fact, Chandrababu was said to have given Bonda - who recently was caught in a controversy by abusing an IG-rank IPS officer and manhandling his personal security officer - a dressing down following which the MLA told other legislators that he was "satisfied with what our leader told me".
In Kadapa, the lone TDP legislator Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy is miffed at being overlooked for a Cabinet slot.
While another sulking Kadapa leader Rama Subba Reddy got an "assurance" from the Chief Minister that he would be given a post with minister's rank, Meda did not get any word from the party higher ups.
In Visakhapatnam district, first-time MLA Vangalapudi Anitha, who reportedly wanted to become a minister, also expressed discontent over his omission.
But she did not make any statement so far.
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