The changing political scene in the Seemandhra, in the wake of the ongoing agitation for United AP cause, appears to be acquiring caste colours.
The alignment of political forces in the coastal Andhra belt ahead of the 2014 general elections seems to be guided more by caste consideration rather than ideologies.
In a major development, the Congress veteran and Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao has dropped hints of quitting the party and joining the Telugu Desam Party.
He came out in the open to express solidarity with the TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu's fast to protest against the way the UPA government was going ahead with the bifurcation.
Naidu has been fasting for the last four days at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi demanding justice for the Telugu people of all the three regions of the state.
Rayapati openly came out expressing support to Naidu and in this context he also said that he resigned from Congress party long back and it was up to the ruling to take a decision on it.
He resigned from his Lok Sabha membership protesting against the bifurcation decision. In all probability, Rayapati will join the TDP soon.
Rayapati, an influential Kamma businessman in Guntur district, has been steadfastly opposed to the division of the state and has been asserting that he would do his best to stop it.
His joining TDP will surely alter the caste equations in the politically active coastal belt.
