Senior TDP MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary is angry and sullen. He has suddenly raised a banner of revolt and began speaking against the party line. He has gone to the extent of inviting Junior NTR to come and save the party. But, what is the real reason for his sudden anger? Why is he suddenly so upset? His rivalry with Adireddy Appa Rao is an old story and does not require him to think of resigning from the party.
Sources close to Butchaiah say that there is another reason why Butchaiah is upset. They say that he is upset at being ignored in the party. Though a six-time MLA, who has been associated with the party from the time of its inception, he always felt that the party leadership did not recognize him. He always felt that he was not given his due. He is said to have told his close associates that neither his sincerity nor his seniority was being respected.
But the real reason, according to insiders, is quite different. Butchaiah is unhappy at party MLA Payyavula Keshav getting another extension as the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee. Keshav has been given the position as the chief of the PAC. The position is always given to a leader from the opposition and party chief nominates a person of his choice for the coveted post. Butchaiah feels that once the term of Keshav ended, he should have got the post by virtue of his loyalty to the party and his seniority in the party. However, Chandrababu Naidu has re-appointed Keshav. Upset by this, Butchaiah is said to have raised his voice against the party and Chandrababu, sources say.
TDP insiders say that Butchaiah knows that the four MLAs who had left the party and joined the YSRCP after 2019 are going through a harrowing time as Jagan has completely sidelined them. At the same time, Butchaiah, who has always been known for his anti-Congress politics, can never adjust himself in the YSRCP. So, Butchaiah is only demonstrating his disappointment and anger over the party leader ignoring his claim.
Butchaiah reportedly nursed a grievance against Chandrababu Naidu. In fact, he was one of the few loyalists of NTR when Chandrababu Naidu revolted and dethroned him in the August coup of1994. Butchiah had also joined the Harikrishna-Lakshmiparvathi led NTR-Telugu Desam and lost the elections. Later, he rejoined the TDP. But, he always felt that he was sidelined because of his loyalty to NTR.
