Ganta to wait till Sankranti

Visakhapatnam: Ports Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who is all set to quit the Congress, may decide on which party to join after Sankranti, upon conducting a survey in this district on winning chances of parties. His decision will have a strong bearing on the outcome of the election results.

He looks confused not only because of the changing political scenario, but also due to his preoccupation with arrangements for his daughter’s marriage scheduled for December 25. Both Telugu Desam and YSRCP have kept the door open to him. Besides, the proposed new party to be floated by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy also sees a big role for him. While Ganta will be comfortable in TDP, which he served as Anakapalle MP from 1999, followed by his term as MLA from Chodavaram, reports that YSRCP has a clear advantage in Seemandhra in the elections, made him look towards it. In fact, it already welcomed him, offering a free hand, but is unable to give an assurance on accommodating his followers, including six legislators from the region. This has prevented him from taking an immediate decision.Significantly, YSRCP top leader and former Minister Konathala Ramakrishna, whom Ganta defeated in his own den of Anakapalle in the last Assembly elections, is favourably disposed towards Ganta, who alone, he thinks, can check his arch rival Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, who joined the much against his will.

The TDP will remain Ganta’s second choice. He may consider it actively once a TDP-BJP alliance is forged, which can boost the party’s chances.