Dokka Manikya Vara Prasada Rao, former minister and Congress leader from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, today joined the ruling TDP.
He quit the Congress and joined the TDP in the presence of A P Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu.
Narsaraopet MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao, MLA Anjneyulu and other TDP leaders were also present on the occasion.
It is reported that Sambasiva Rao played a major role in bringing Manikya Vara Prasada Rao into the TDP fold as there was speculation that the latter was planning to join the YSR Congress Party.
Reacting to Prasada Rao joining the TDP, AP Congress Committee president Raghuveera Reddy pooh-poohed the development saying that it was not a big incident.
Rao had been keeping away from party activities for a long time, the APCC president said.