Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy-led Jai Samaikyaandhra Party (JSP) on Friday received a jolt when its vice-president joined the TDP.
Pithani Satyanarayana was one of the two former Cabinet colleagues of Kiran who played a key role in the formation of JSP on the united Andhra Pradesh platform in early March.
Three days ago, he met TDP president Chandrababu Naidu and expressed willingness to join his party.
He formally joined the TDP in the presence of Naidu at the latter's residence here this afternoon.
"I am joining the TDP without any conditions or seeking a ticket to contest the coming Assembly election," Pithani said.
He told newspersons that the JSP served no purpose and only an experienced leader like Naidu could develop Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation.
The ex-Minister said he joined the TDP in deference to the wishes of people of his native West Godavari district.
Pithani is the seventh Minister of the erstwhile Cabinet of Kiran to have joined Telugu Desam Party in the last one month.
Meanwhile, another former minister and vice-president of JSP Sake Sailajanath is expected to leave Kiran.
Sailajanath, who recently underwent surgery in the US for cancer, has never taken part in the JSP activities though he was appointed its vice-president last month. He is said to be considering the option of joining the TDP.
Interestingly, expelled Congress MP A Sai Pratap too has been staying away from JSP, while another MP Sabbam Hari has not been active in the new party.
Both are also vice-president of JSP but had not been seen with Kiran in recent days.
MP GV Harsha Kumar, the fifth vice-president of JSP, announced on Thursday he would sail with Kiran despite an invitation from Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh to return to the parent party.
The sixth vice-president of JSP Undavalli Arun Kumar, who is also an MP, is staying on with the the fledgling outfit.
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