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Updated: Feb 19, 2019 19:41 IST

The Congress which is struggling to keep its flock together in Andhra Pradesh is set to lose one more member - former union minister Killi Krupa Rani who said on Tuesday that she would be joining the YSR Congress on February 28.

Rani who was a Union minister of state for Communications and IT in the UPA-II government, met YSRC chief Jaganmohan Reddy in Hyderabad before announcing her decision. She said she was disappointed with the Congress’ decision to ally with the TDP at the national level.

“I will join the YSRC formally in Amaravati on February 28. I am disheartened by the Congress leadership’s decision to align with the TDP and I have decided to snap my long relationship with the party,” she told reporters.

Rani is the third major leader of the Congress to join YSRCP after two former state ministers Vatti Vasanthakumar and C. Ramachandraiah quit the grand old party protesting its ‘tacit’ tie-up with the TDP in the recent past.

Also read: Congress faces desertions over no alliance plan in Andhra Pradesh

Assembly elections are also due in Andhra Pradesh along with the Lok Sabha polls where the Congress will fight alone.

Rani is said to be interested in contesting Srikakulam Lok Sabha seat which she held during 2009-14 or Tekkali assembly segment. She belongs to the Kalinga community, a numerically strong one falling under the backward classes. The community holds the key in all the seven assembly segments in Srikakulam Lok Sabha seat.

Jagan Reddy had addressed a Backward Classes rally called ‘BC Garjana’ in Eluru of West Godavari district on February 17 and appealed to backward class leaders to join hands with him and his party.

Interestingly, former union minister Kotla Jaya Suryaprakash Reddy from Kurnool in Rayala Seema region resigned from the Congress party, resenting the party’s decision to go solo in the state. Reddy is all set to join the TDP shortly. Another former union minister and Congress stalwart Kishore Chandra Deo from Vizianagaram quit the party and is likely to join Naidu’s party on February 24.

The Congress which failed to win any of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and drew a blank in the polls for 175-member Assembly tried to put up a brave face amid the exodus.

“Only Bahubalis (competent ones) will remain in our party and weaklings who are susceptible and looking for greener pastures will leave us,” said Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) spokesman Janga Gowtham on the imminent exit of Krupa Rani.

Gowtham said Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address an election rally at Tirupati on February 22 as part of a bus yatra launched by APCC president N. RaghuveeraReddy from Madakasira in Ananthapur district on Monday to reiterate his promise for special category status to the state.