Differences between the two Telugu Desam MLAs Kodali Venkateswara Rao alias Nani of Gudivada and district unit president and Mylavaram MLA Devineni Umamaheswara Rao were exposed on Thursday. Mr Nani came down heavily on the TD district unit president criticising that the district leader is taking unilateral decisions and not giving due importance to other leaders in the district. Talking to reporters at Gudivada on Thursday, Mr Nani vent his ire against Mr Umamaheswara Rao alleging that the Nandigama MLA was not giving respect to even the NTR family.

The dispute broke out during the visit of Rajya Sabha member Nandamuri Harikrishna to Challapalli on Tuesday to inaugurate a railway reservation counter. A local ZPTC member and TD leader Balaram aspired that Mr Harikrishna set the foundation for the construction of a shopping complex which was named NTR Complex in the same village. Mr Balaram asked Mr Umamaheswara Rao to invite Mr Harikrishna to the local foundation programme. He told the local villagers that Mr Harikrishna would attend the programme.

To the surprise of Mr Balaram, Mr Harikrishna left the village after the inauguration of the railway reservation counter and did not attend to the foundation programme. Upset with the incident, Mr Balaram tendered his resignation. Quoting the incident, Mr Nani criticised Mr Umamaheswara Rao for not informing Mr Harikrishna about Mr Balaram’s invitation. He alleged that the district TD president humiliated the TD MP. Mr Nani categorically said all the TD leaders must give due respect to the NTR family, otherwise their political survival would be very difficult.

He said there was no coordination between the Telugu Desam leaders during the visit of Mr Harikrishna on March 29. He recalled that Mr Harikrishna sanctioned lakhs of rupees of MPlad funds for the developmental activities in Krishna district and the latter deserves respect from the district party leaders. He said he would lodge a complaint with the TD president Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu about the incident.