Another Shock to TDP in Krishna District

Just a day after TDP’s legislator Kodali Venkateswara Rao (Nani) has left the party, party’s Politburo member and Dalit leader Uppuleti Kalpana has also decided to join the YSR Congress party. While Nani’s decision showed that the powerful Kamma community that has always been backing TDP, was no longer sure of its future in the party, Kalpana’s departure shows the erosion the party’s dalit base.

Kalpana was also hastily suspended by the TDP leadership on late Tuesday night, after it was known that she has met the YSR Congress MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy.

Kalpana who has unsuccessfully contested to the assembly twice on TDP ticket (from Nidumolu and Pamarru in 2004 and 2009 respectively) has apparently come to the decision that she had no future if she stuck to the TDP. As she happens to be a powerful dalit leader, the TDP Chief Chandra Babu Naidu has made her member of the Politburo, the highest policy making body of his party, despite her two consecutive defeats. She also continued to be in-charge of the Pamarru assembly