Ex-TDP MP Nageswara Rao joins TRS in presence of Rama Rao

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, former MP Nama Nageswara Rao, who quit the TDP this week, joined the ruling TRS in Telangana on Thursday. Nageswara Rao, who was a member of TDP's policy bureau, was welcomed into the Telangana Rashtra Samithi fold by its working president KT Rama Rao here, TRS sources said.

Nageswara Rao, who was Lok Sabha member from Khammam in Telangana, had sent a letter to Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, claiming that the survival of TDP in Telangana has become a question in spite of his best efforts. Speculation has been rife that Nageswara Rao would be the TRS' nominee from Khammam in the Lok Sabha elections.

Nageswara Rao, an industrialist, had unsuccessfully contested from Khammam as TDP nominee in the Telangana Assembly elections in December last. The TDP had the alliance with the Congress and others in the Assembly polls.

A number of opposition leaders at various levels, including several MLAs of main opposition Congress, have switched over to the TRS during this month. Telangana, which has 17 Lok Sabha segments, goes to the polls in the first phase on April 11.