Kadiyam Srihari to clear air on shifting parties by weekend, but is ‘annoyed’ with KCR

MLA Kadiyam Srihari to announce whether he will join Congress in a day or two. The Station Ghanpur MLA is said to be concerned with BRS chief KCR’s attitude.

Two weeks ago, a senior Congress functionary called Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari. This was a part of the party’s effort to reach out to some senior Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders asking them to consider contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on the behalf of Congress

By not announcing the Warangal SC reserved seat, Congress party kept the channel open for Mr. Srihari, a leader with over three decades of political experience. After two weeks of deliberations within the family and also with his followers, he seem to be considering the option.

“As of now, I cannot reveal anything. But I will come out with his plans in a day or two,” he told The Hindu when asked about the rumours. He also agreed that the Congress had been making efforts to talk to him for some time by offering the Warangal seat, but he had not responded positively.

Mr. Srihari is said to be seriously concerned over the attitude of the former Chief Minister and BRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao. At a time when the party is in a disarray and the cadre’s morale down, KCR is in his farmhouse without making efforts to infuse some confidence. Leadership in the districts is clueless about the party’s future and their political fortunes as well with the party activity going directionless.

In fact, the same were mentioned by his daughter in her letter to the BRS chief, while withdrawing herself from the upcoming Lok Sabha polls forcing the party to choose a new candidate for Warangal now. The sitting MP from BRS, Pasnuri Dayakar, has already joined the Congress while another aspirant Aruri Ramesh joined the BJP to be nominated from that party.

The surprise move by Dr. Kavya, obviously, has the backing of her father who in all likelihood may opt for the Congress party. Whether he would seek ticket for her daughter or give into the pressure of contesting himself is to be seen now.

Mr. Srihari, who was a government junior college lecturer, started his political career with the Telugu Desham Party (TDP) and served in the cabinets of N.T. Rama Rao and N. Chandrababu Naidu. He had good clout and commanded respect in the party working as Minister for Irrigation and also Education in the undivided Andhra Pradesh.