Pressure mounts on Tummala to quit BRS

Khammam: BRS supremo and Cheif Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has denied party ticket for Assembly polls to Tummala Nageswara Rao, a veteran leader and former minister with a good following in Khammam district. Tummala strongly desired Paleru ticket.

KCR’s decision caused quite a stir in the district political circles. When some leaders took this up with Tummala, he was said to have retorted that he could take care of his interests himself. This led to a buzz that he may be toying with the idea of shifting to any other party to contest on its ticket from the same constituency. Considering his polical legacy and repute, all political parties are heard making moves to invite him into their fold. Tummala is very close to TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, Janareddy and others in the Congress party. The party is said to be ready to embrace him and is willing to offer any seat that he desires to contest from.

On the other hand, the BJP is also said to be keen on roping in such a senior leader. Tummala has good relations with BJP leaders, too. His close relative and former Rajya Sabha MP Garikpati Mohan Rao is playing a key role in Khammam district politics. Moreover, Tummala’s community is taking umbrage at the issue of BRS ticke to Kandala Upender Reddy, who won from the Congress and switched loyalities to the BRS.

They are said to be goading the leader to quite the BRS after suffering such a humiliation at the hands of KCR. Amidst these developments, Tummala was closeted with his close followers at his residence in Hyderabad on Monday. They reportedly asked him not to go by KCR’s purported assurance of MP seat to him.