Sources indicate that Nageswara Rao's potential move to the BJP aligns with the formalisation of alliance between the TDP and BJP in Andhra.
Published Mar 02, 2024 | 10:13 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 02, 2024 | 10:13 PM
Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao. (Supplied)
Is the BRS floor leader in Lok Sabha, Nama Nageswara Rao, contemplating a move to the BJP?
Political circles are buzzing with reports that he might shift his allegiance, given the rapidly changing political dynamics in the state. Speculations are rife that he might make the change on 5 March.
Sources indicate that Nageswara Rao’s potential move to the BJP aligns with the formalisation of the much-discussed alliance between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the BJP in Andhra Pradesh.
Notably, two BRS MPs — BB Patil of Zaheerabad and Pothuganti Ramulu of Nagarkurnool — have already bid farewell to the pink party, finding a new home in the BJP.
Peddapalli MP Venkatesh Netakani has also parted ways with the BRS and has settled into the Congress, anticipating a ticket from Peddapalli.
Despite numerous attempts, Nageswara Rao could not be contacted over the phone.
The grapevine has been abuzz with rumours of his potential move to the BJP since 2021, sparked by Enforcement Directorate officials raiding the offices of the Madhucon Group of Companies in June 2021. This raid was linked to a ₹1,064 crore bank loan fraud case under investigation by both the CBI and the ED.
At that time, Nageswara Rao vehemently denied these reports, emphasising his allegiance to BRS supremo and then chief minister of Telangana K Chandrashekar Rao.
However, the political landscape in Telangana has undergone significant changes since then. With the Congress gaining momentum post-Assembly elections and the BRS facing a decline, political leaders, particularly MPs from other parties, seem eager to align themselves with the BJP.
In Nageswara Rao’s case, contesting the Lok Sabha election from Khammam, his native constituency, might prove challenging, given the limited party support in the region, despite its popularity in the north.
As winning on a BRS ticket in Khammam is no easy feat, especially with the Congress firmly rooted in the district, Nageswara Rao appears to favour the BJP over the Congress. Securing a Congress ticket poses its own challenges, with influential candidates like Prasad Reddy, brother of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, and Nandini, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, vying for the same.
Srinivasa Reddy has influence in all the Assembly segments in the eartwhile Khammam district, while Vikramraka, who bleongs to the Scheduled Caste community, also, draws a lot of water. The party cannot ignore Tummala Nageswara Rao either as he is a powerful Kamma leader who can rally TDP voters behind him.
The BJP views Nama Nageswara Rao as a valuable asset, contributing to the narrative that the party is on the verge of becoming the second-largest force in the state after the Congress. His potential entry into the BJP could provide the party with an opportunity to expand its influence in Khammam district, even if electoral victory remains uncertain.
Given Nageswara Rao’s affiliation with the Kamma community, his leadership could prove invaluable for the BJP in the district. In return, he may find respite from the looming threat of central agencies, particularly the ED, scrutinising the Madhucon Group of Companies.
The sword of Damocles has been hanging over him since the ED initiated an investigation into the ₹1,064 crore bank loan fraud against the Madhucon Group of Companies in 2021. In July and October 2022, the Enforcement Directorate attached Madhucon’s assets in connection with the case, citing a diversion of ₹361 crore by Ranchi Expressway Ltd.
