Who Is P. Gururaja in TDP? Why Has He Suddenly Gained So Much Importance?!
There was a time in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) when those who worked hard for the party were rewarded with positions. Now, however, the model has completely changed. With the arrival of a new generation of leaders, new trends are emerging. There is now a widespread discussion among TDP leaders that positions are being allotted without considering how much an individual worked for the party or what they did for it. Party leaders say the same model is being followed not only in the allocation of Rajya Sabha seats but also in filling other key positions. There is a strong discussion within the party that the new-generation leaders are making decisions based on how the people they want to appoint to positions were useful to them in the past and how useful they could be in the future. Recently, the TDP leadership appointed Dr. P. Gururaja as the chief of the Global NRI wing. Interestingly, a senior minister reportedly revealed that nearly half of the members appointed to this global committee did not even know who Gururaja was.
Another key point being discussed within party circles is that there is a bigger story behind how Gururaja suddenly secured such an important position. According to reports circulating among TDP leaders, when a key leader—who is currently playing a major role in the government—visited the United States while the TDP was in the opposition, Gururaja allegedly arranged special flights for him, took particular care of him, and personally handled the arrangements throughout the trip. There is speculation among some TDP ministers that this was one of the reasons Gururaja has now been given an important position. The position has been given to him now, but a senior minister reportedly alleged that even before the appointment, teams associated with some NRIs had been involved in sand-related businesses in Andhra Pradesh and had been interfering in key transfer matters, allegedly making crores of rupees in the process.
There is also widespread talk among TDP leaders that some members of the NRI committee are allegedly being used by the key leader to park his alleged ill-gotten money. Another important issue is that some of those who have secured key positions in the Global NRI Committee are reportedly doing business with people associated with the APNRT, who are already close to that key leader. It is being alleged that all of this is taking place under the watch of that influential leader. Another significant point is that the TDP high command recently announced the TDP Global Committee. Party sources claim that Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, who was an NRI before joining the TDP, won the Guntur Lok Sabha seat and is currently a Union Minister, was not even consulted informally on the matter.
Senior TDP leaders say that despite Chandrasekhar providing financial and other forms of support to the party, he was not even consulted regarding the NRI committee. While the final decision on whom to appoint to various positions rests entirely with the party leadership, many TDP leaders believe that the practices followed in the past have now changed significantly. In the past, some NRIs who aspired to contest on TDP tickets would financially support the party and also work for it during elections. But now, TDP circles allege that some NRIs are joining hands with influential leaders and making crores through alleged illegal businesses. They further claim that all of this is happening with the knowledge of senior figures in the government.
