In the midst of all the confusion over the bifurcation process, the Telugu Desam Party is making clever moves in coastal Andhra region by trying to attract the Kapu leaders who had moved away from the party but are now a disillusioned lot.
Foremost among them is the State Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao. It is said that he is all set to return to the TDP fold. He has been having a running battle with the PCC Chief Botsa Satyanarayana and is planning to quit the Congress once the Telangana bill is introduced in the Parliament.
Along with him, at least seven other MLAs are believed to be planning to quit Congress and join TDP ahead of the elections.
There is a clear re-alignment of political forces on caste lines, particularly in the coastal belt.
All the leaders belonging to the influential Kapu community had deserted the TDP to join Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) which was a promising alternative in the initial stages of its launch.
However, the megastar has disappointed his fans and political associates alike when he merged his party with the Congress.
Since then, the Kapu leaders of the erstwhile PRP are unable to adapt themselves to the Congress culture. Given a chance, most of them are ready to jump the Congress ship, particularly in view of the declining stocks of the ruling party in Seemandhra following its decision to divide the state.
"We will welcome all the Kapu leaders who had left us and joined hands with Chiranjeevi," a TDP source said.
