Buzz in Assembly lobbies over political friendships and defections

KTR, Congress MLA exchange smiles; BJP MLA embraced by Minister. On the first day of Assembly, KTR and Congress MLA Jayaprakash Reddy exchanged smiles, sparking speculation of a possible defection. KTR also embraced BJP MLA Eatala Rajender, who had resigned from TRS over differences with KCR. Speculation of political friendship and defections high.

Two interesting incidents on the first day of the Assembly monsoon session sparked some speculation over political friendship and defections involving all three major political parties – BRS, Congress and the BJP, at a time when the tempers are high and any move is viewed suspiciously.

Congress MLA from Sangareddy constituency T. Jayaprakash Reddy was the cynosure of all eyes when he walked into the chambers of Municipal Administration Minister and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao with all smiles. At a time when defections from one political party to another are on the rise with the election season picking up, his entry into the Minister’s chamber generated a lot of discussion on the Assembly lobbies.

The Minister was seen walking along with him exchanging smiles and chatting, further giving a twist to the whole episode. Mr. Jayaprakashh Reddy staying away from the Congress MLAs’ group that walked into the Assembly arena further added fuel to the speculation that he was clearing his route to join the ruling party. Mr Reddy’s perceived differences with Telangana Congress president A. Revanth Reddy is also the reason for the rumours.

Sources, however, said that Mr. Reddy had met the Minister with a request for staying the transfer of nine constables of the special police in Sangareddy citing their illness. The constables have to stay in the city as they need special medical treatment on regular basis as they were suffering from various ailments including kidney failure.

In another interesting incident, Mr. Rama Rao embraced his political rival and BJP MLA Eatala Rajender in the Assembly Hall, raising several eyebrows. The Minister, who went to Mr. Eatala, greeted him with an embrace. Later, they were seen conversing for over 10 minutes even as they smiled and exchanged warm gestures. Their conversation attracted the attention of everyone as it came at a time when Mr. Eatala is going ballistic against Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at every given opportunity and vowing to defeat the BRS government.

Though it was not clear what the discussion was all about, sources said the Minister enquired about the general well-being of the MLA and also about the alleged death threats to him. After Mr. Rajender expressed fears for his life from some unsocial elements openly, Mr. KTR personally urged the DGP Anjani Kumar to beef up the security.