The fast-unto-death by Telugu Desam Party’s Rajya Sabha member C M Ramesh demanding establishment of an integrated steel plant at Kadapa entered 10th day on Friday, but unfortunately for him, it hasn’t evoked the expected response from the common people.

Though the party leadership has been making a big hungama by mobilising party workers to the hunger strike camp at Kadapa and pro-TDP media channels have been extensively telecasting the same, the people have not been evincing much interest in it. In fact, they are not at all taking the fast so serious.

On the other hand, they responded tremendously, when the Opposition parties gave a call for Kadapa bandh on Friday. The schools were closed, shops were shot and offices witnessed thin attendance. The buses did not run and people took to streets in protest. But they are not going to see Ramesh’s hunger strike camp.

What could be the reason? First of all, Ramesh is not a man of masses. He is a Rajya Sabha MP who does not have direct connection with the common people.People see him as a contractor and a high profile TDP leader, as he never took part in public programmes and agitations. So, naturally, people have not responded so much when he took up the fast.Secondly, appearance-wise, people are not believing Ramesh has been on complete fasting, as he still looks healthy and sturdy, without any signs of weakness in his face and body.

He doesn’t look like a man who has been without food for 10 days. In fact, his rivals have been campaigned that Ramesh put on weight after commencing the fast.It is nothing but natural that people are comparing him with Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who undertook 11-day fast for Telangana in 2009.Though he was admitted to hospital within two days and was admitted intravenous fluids, he became skin-to-bone within a week and presented a real image of a fighter for masses.

The Centre feared that he might die in the fasting and had to announce commencement of Telangana statehood process in 2009!

Close on the heels of Danam Nagender, another Congress leader Mukesh Goud is all set to join the TRS bandwagon.Recently, Vikram Goud, son of Mukesh Goud had a meeting with Uttam Kumar Reddy and RC Kuntia. Vikram reportedly complained against the kind of treatment being meted out to his father who is an ex-Minister.

While Uttam and Kuntia managed to convince Vikram Goud for the moment, indications are that Mukesh Goud will switch loyalties to the TRS.Apparently, he has informed KCR about this and is waiting for a green signal from the ‘pink boss’.KCR, on the other hand, is treading cautiously. He wants to get the balance right as inducting the Congressmen should not upset the aspirations of the local TRS leaders.

Therefore, while there is a pretty long waiting list, priority is only being given to those with a cadre of their own and who can add value to the TRS instead of banking on the TRS’ strength.Exactly like what Raghuvaran says in the classic hit Shiva: Ee student leaders manaku balam avvali kaani mana balam meeda battakodadu (These student leaders should be a strength to us but not live on our strength).

Telangana Congress party is looking at a possible alliance with the Telangana Telugu Desam Party and other like-minded parties in the next assembly elections with the sole objective of defeating the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.This was indicated by none other than Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy, in an interaction with an English daily.

He said the Congress was ready to face early elections and if necessary, it would forge alliance with all like-minded parties including TDP to pull down chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao from power.“We are open for alliance with like-minded opposition parties – whether it is the Left parties, Telangana Jana Samithi and even the TDP. We have already put forth the proposal before AICC president Rahul Gandhi. He has to take a decision on it,” Uttam said.

He said except with the BJP, the Congress party had good working relationship with all opposition parties.“We are in good terms with TDP too. Hence, there is every possibility of we joining hands with like-minded parties to defeat the ruling TRS in the ensuing polls. But, the final decision is in the hands of Rahul Gandhi,” he said.According to Uttam, his party was planning to give tickets to prominent Seemandhra leaders in Hyderabad to woo Andhras, who made the city their home in the ensuing polls.

May be the recent statement of TDP MP T G Venkatesh that the TDP would give a call to the Seemandhra settlers in Telangana not to vote for the TRS in the next elections, if chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not support the special category status demand, can be viewed in that context

There seems to be more to the resignation of Parakala Prabhakar, the communication advisor to the Andhra Pradesh government than what meets the eye.

Parakala sent his resignation letter to Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu a couple of weeks ago stating that he was hurt by the comments made by YSR Congress party leaders, particularly their president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy that he was being used for doing backroom negotiations and bargaining with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

He said he was pained at the way the Opposition party was linking his family relations with his professional work in the AP government and so, he did not want to give scope for such allegations anymore. Hence, his resignation.Naidu, however, did not accept Parakala’s resignation and called him for a personal talk. During his personal talk, Parakala is learnt to have told the actual reason.

He reportedly told Naidu that though he was hurt with Jagan’s comments, what pained him most was the comments made by some senior TDP leaders that he was carrying some vital information from the state government to the Centre through his wife Nirmala Sitaraman.

“They are suspecting that I am a mole of the BJP in the state government. I can handle the allegations levelled by YSRC leaders, but what can I do when such allegations come from our own party leaders?” he reportedly asked.Naidu is learnt to have asked Parakala to name such TDP leaders who made allegations against him, but the latter refused to divulge any names.He said he was firm on his resignations. Having no option, the chief minister asked him to continue till July 4, when his term actually ends. Then, he could think of an alternative arrangement, say sources.

There is a suspicion that it was none other than Naidu, who was behind spreading such rumours against Parakala.“After snapping ties with the BJP, Naidu himself has been side-lining him suspecting him to be a BJP mole. But if he sacks Parakala, it gives a bad name for him among the Brahmin community, which is already seething with anger over IYR Krishna Rao and Ramana Deekshitulu episodes. So, he adopted an indirect way to hound out Parakala,” source said.