Former Andhra minister joins TRS

Hyderabad, March 18 (IANS) Former Andhra minister Konda Surekha and her husband Konda Murali Tuesday joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Surekha and Murali, a former legislator, had quit the YSR Congress party last year after it opposed formation of separate Telangana state and rejoined the Congress party, which they had left in 2009.

However, as the Congress reportedly refused to field Surekha from an assembly constituency in Warangal district, they joined TRS.

The couple took the decision after meeting TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao at the latter's residence here Tuesday. The TRS has reportedly promised party ticket from Warangal East assembly constituency and assured that her husband would be nominated to the legislative council.

Konda Surekha, however, claimed that they were not joining TRS for any post. She told reporters that TRS alone is capable of transforming Telangana into a golden state.

Chandrasekhara Rao's son and TRS leader K. Tarakarama Rao said this would strengthen the party in Warangal district.

Surekha had resigned from the cabinet in October 2009 after Congress leadership refused to make Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy the chief minister following the death of his father Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash in 2009. She had also quit Congress to join YSR Congress floated by Jaganmohan Reddy in 2010.

After their resignation from YSR Congress, the couple had returned to Congress fold.