Seeing no future for the Congress Party in the state of Andhra Pradesh, APCC chief and former Minister Sake Shailajanath is said to be mulling joining the Telugu Desam Party. Highly placed sources close to Shailajanath say that he has been holding parleys with the TDP leaders for quite some time on the issue.

While officially there is as yet no confirmation, sources say that in the bargain Shailajanath will be given the TDP ticket to contest. Two of his associates too would get the TDP tickets in the 2024 elections. Shailajaath is believed to be readying up to send in his resignation to the Congress Party. The Congress Party does not have any significant presence anywhere in Andhra Pradesh and has not put up candidates for the MPTCs and ZPTCs in the recent election.

The party sees no future for itself. Past PCC chief Raghuveera Reddy has gone into retirement. He is busy with temple construction and the development of his village. Shailajanath, who succeeded him, has not taken up any party activity in recent times. Many of the Congress leaders have defected either to the TDP or to the YSRCP.

Shailajanath is from the Dalit community and would be seen as a significant addition to the party’s dalit leadership. The only problem is the opposition from the Paritala family. Shailajanath aggressively criticised Paritala Ravi during the debate in the assembly after the latter’s death. The Paritala family has not forgiven Shailajanath for this. The family is said to be opposed to his joining. Yet, preparations are reportedly on in TDP to bring Shailajanath into the party.