Is former minister and TRS leader Jupally Krishna Rao looking towards his old party the Congress?
Reports are rife that TPCC president Revanth Reddy has invited Jupally to return to his alma mater.
As TRS leader Jagadishwar Rao, who unsuccessfully contested for the post of Kollapur Assembly constituency MLA three times, joined the Congress recently, the rumours involving Jupally spread fast and wide.
The Grand Old Party did not have any big leader left in the constituency after its MLA B Harshavardhan Reddy crossed the fence and joined the TRS. Most of Reddy's followers too joined the pink party deserting the Congress. The party reached a stage in the constituency that it did not even have any candidates to contest in the local body elections.
However, the appointment of Revanth Reddy as TPCC chief has led to a rustle in the remaining leaders of the party in the constituency. A key follower of state Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy, Rangineni Abhilash Rao, also met with Revanth Reddy. Although he did not make any statement on joining the Congress, his supporters are saying that he will join the Congress very soon.
It is in that context that rumours around Jupally started swirling. Jupally won the Kollapur Assembly constituency seat five times. He also worked as a minister in the Congress and the TRS governments. It is being speculated that the TRS will nevertheless deny the party ticket to Jupally in the next Assembly elections. This has led to rumours that Jupally will join the Congress to ensure his political future.
Some leaders of the Congress recently met with Revanth Reddy and raised the issue of lack of leadership in the constituency. Revanth Reddy then reportedly mentioned the name of Jupally.
The supporters of Jupally are however saying that their leader may contest the elections as an independent if the TRS denies him a ticket.