Hyderabad: Former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who helped shape the destiny of the erstwhile Khammam district for three decades -- as minister for 11 years and MLA for 22 years – has of late been a puzzle to his followers while his political future remains uncertain.
While his statements and meetings in various mandals in Khammam district add to confusion about his future political stands, political analysts link these to his impatience at being turned into a political non-entity in district politics.
The former minister is moving heaven and earth to get a ticket for the next poll from any constituency and any party, it is learnt.
Political analyst K Ramanarayana said, “Tummala made his mark in the region by getting done bridges at Lottopittalagandi on the Chattisgarh border and across Sabari river in Kunavaram, as also a bund at Bhadrachalam to check the Godavari floods and helping lay roads even in remote habitations.”
Notably, second-rung Telugu Desam leaders were scared even of sitting at the Road and Buildings Guest House in Khammam for a chat during Tummala’s nine years as minister in the Telugu Desam government. The Telugu Desam cadre gave due respect to him.
However, at present, there is no space in the ruling TRS party to accommodate him in the 2023 assembly elections in Khammam district. He is not daring enough to demand this or that from the TRS boss to give clarity on his future. At the same time, he cannot leave the ruling party and join the BJP, Congress or Telugu Desam.
The Congress and BJP, it appears, are ready to provide him a place in the next assembly elections. BJP promised to provide him an honourable position in the party. Congress is also not hesitating to provide him a place in any segment in Khammam district.
The Telugu Desam high command has chalked out a plan to revive the party in Telangana. The party leaders, it is learnt, consulted some TRS leaders including Tummala and former minister S Venugopalachari to come in.
The agenda of TD is to go for an alliance with BJP in Telangana to implement the same formula in Andhra Pradesh. Tummala is being involved in these consultations but he’s not given the green signal for this. N Srinu, TD president for Aswaraopet, said, “Tummala’s service as a minister to Khammam district were exceptional. The people need such a leader. It seems he’s quite uncertain at present about his next moves.”
