The state minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao appears to have crossed the "Lakshman Rekha" of the Congress discipline.
The ruling party is said to be planning to issue a show-cause notice to him for revolting against the decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and for his outbursts against the party leadership.
There is buzz in political circles that he, along with some other erstwhile Pra Rajyam Party (PRP) leaders, will quit Congress and join Telugu Desam Party.
Some of the erstwhile PRP legislators are also likely to switch over to YSR Congress Party.
The party leadership is believed to be collecting the details of Ganta's public utterances and making out a strong case against him.
He has been openly criticizing the high command on the division of the state and has been threatening to quit the party if it goes ahead with splitting the state.
Another senior Seemandhra leader J C Diwakar Reddy has already been issued a show-cause notice for making personal attacks against the party president Sonia Gandhi.
Ganta belongs to the influential Kapu community and his exit, along with his associates and some more legislators from the community could have adverse impact on the party prospects in the coastal belt.
