L. Ramana, who resigned as the Telugu Desam Party’s Telangana unit President last week, joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Monday.
Ramana took the TRS membership from party’s Working President K. T. Rama Rao at the Telangana Bhavan.
He, along wit his followers, will be formally admitted into the party at a meeting on July 16 in the presence of Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Ramana, a former minister in united Andhra Pradesh, and a former MP, had resigned from the TDP on July 9. He had sent his resignation to TDP’s national President N. Chandrababu Naidu.
After receiving the TRS membership, Ramana said he decided to join the TRS at the invitation of Chandrasekhar Rao. He told reporters that he wanted to participate in the development of the state.
Ramana, who had been leading the TDP in Telangana since the formation of the state in 2014, said under the leadership of KCR, he would work to strengthen TRS and for the welfare of the peoples, especially the backward classes.
“I will use my vast experience of last 27 years to work for the state and the party,” he said. He feels that the political situation in Telangana has changed and the TRS is the only party which can safeguard the interests of the state.
Ramana later called on ministers Koppula Eswar and E. Dayakar Rao. They are understood to have discussed party affairs and the government schemes. Ensuing by-election to Huzurabad Assembly constituency is also believed to have figured in the discussion.
Ramana had met KCR on July 8 to express his willingness to join the TRS. The Chief Minister reportedly assured him that he will be given due recognition and political opportunity. He is likely to be nominated as the TRS candidate for the Legislative Council elections that are due in a couple of months.
He was one of the few leaders remaining in the TDP in Telangana. Several top TDP leaders switched loyalties to the TRS during the last seven years.
Ramana, a two-time MLA, had served as Minister for Textiles and Handlooms in undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1994-96.
He was also elected to Lok Sabha from Karimnagar in 1996.
