Vijayawada: Kapu heavyweight and former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao is said to be leading the group of TD MLAs to the BJP. Mr Rao is said to be making the moves while holidaying in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
It is learnt from highly placed sources in the BJP that Mr Rao has been in touch with the party leadership for quite some time along with Rajya Sabha member Y.S. Chowdary who had defected on Thursday.
Apart from Mr Rao, TD legislators Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar (Vizag South), Annangi Satya Prasad (Repalle), Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy (Kondepi) and Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan (Gannavaram) are said to have confirmed that they were ready to cross over.
Mr Rao is on the job of placating a few more MLAs to join up so that they can form a group that is two-thirds of the TD strength of 23 MLAs, and escape disqualification upon defection.
Mr Rao, a businessman, has worked in three parties. He started his career with the TD, the Praja Rajyam, went to the Congress with the merger and returned to the TD.
“Ganta Srinivasa Rao has been in touch with our central leadership. Anything can happen in the next few days,” a BJP source said.
