Simmering discontent among some Telugu Desam Party leaders is coming out into the open in different parts of the state, as the coalition government completed two years in office last month.
After rebel Tiruvuru MLA Kolikapudi Srinivasa Rao, Narasaraopet MLA Chadalavada Aravinda Babu and Srisailam MLA Budda Rajasekhar Reddy, it was now the turn of Gannavaram MLA Yarlagadda Venkata Rao to express resentment against his own government.
On Monday, Yarlagadda launched a strong attack on the coalition government over the award of a contract related to the Vijayawada International Airport terminal at Gannavaram.
Expressing his displeasure, the MLA objected to the contract being awarded to KMV, a company that he alleged had worked for his political rivals.
He questioned how a firm associated with his opponents could be entrusted with a major project in his constituency.
“If I spend my own hard-earned money and work for the party, is this the reward I deserve?” Yarlagadda asked, expressing disappointment over what he described as an insult to him.
He asserted that he would not compromise on his rights as the elected representative of Gannavaram and warned that he would not tolerate any denial of the respect and protocol due to him.
Questioning the priorities of the coalition leadership, Yarlagadda asked whether those who joined the party before the elections were more important than those who became active only after the coalition came to power.
He described the decision to award the airport terminal contract to KMV as unacceptable and said it amounted to rewarding those who had supported his political opponents.
The MLA also warned that he would expose corruption in his constituency, irrespective of who was involved, and declared that no one would be spared if irregularities came to light.
He further alleged that several people who had never met him earlier were now claiming to be TDP leaders.
Criticising the growing influence of money in politics, he said the practice of securing contracts by making donations worth crores of rupees should come to an end.
Reiterating that he would not compromise on his rights in Gannavaram, Yarlagadda said he expected the protocol and respect due to an elected MLA.
He announced that he would soon convene a meeting of party workers, where he would speak in detail about the issue.
