Senior Telugu Desam Party leader and former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao managed to win the recent assembly elections from Visakhapatnam (north) constituency with a slender margin of 1,944 votes over his nearest rival K K Raju of YSR Congress party amidst dispute over counting of votes.
During his previous term, Ganta used to dominate Visakhapatnam politics and made several enemies within the TDP including former minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu from Narsipatnam.
There were several allegations of corruption and land grabbing against him in Visakhapatnam.
But ever since he won the elections again, Ganta has not been very active in the TDP politics. He is not taking active role in the assembly and unlike in the past, he is not visible anywhere.
There was a talk that Ganta might take a plunge into the Bharatiya Janata Party to safeguard his political and business interests, but that has not happened as of now.
According to the latest reports, Ganta is said to be bringing pressure on party president and leader of opposition in Andhra assembly N Chandrababu Naidu to nominate him for the post of Public Accounts Committee chairman, if the latter wants him to continue in the party.
PAC chairman is a very crucial post with a lot of powers to go through every account of the state government and point out irregularities if any. It is suspected that a lot of money changes hands while scrutinising the public accounts.
As part of convention, the PAC chairman post is given to a senior member from the main opposition party.
As such, the post in the present assembly will go to the TDP. And Ganta wants the post, probably with a view to cover up his alleged scams.
However, Naidu has other legislators in mind like Payyavula Kesav or Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary, who have been more loyal and committed to the party.
It remains to be seen what Ganta would do if he does not get the post.
