Mukesh Goud, a former Congress minister from the city, is planning a switch to the Telugu Desam. He reportedly met the TD president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and expressed his desire to join the party.
 
Mr Goud is the nephew of Telugu Desam MP T. Devender Goud. Despite the family connection, Mr  Goud has been in the Congress for more than two decades. Following the changed political scenario in the city after the 2014 elections, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti has been encouraging largescale defections from the TD and Congress.
 
Despite the general trend, with some exceptions, of politicians moving towards the TRS, Mr  Goud seems to have come to the conclusion that he would be better off with the TD.
Mr Goud is said to be particularly upset with his friend and former minister Danam Nagender for separately trying to join the TRS without informing him.
 
Sources close to Mr  Goud said Mr Naidu had assured him of a ticket to the Sanathnagar Assembly bypolls whenever they are held. His main rival would be minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, who defected to the TRS after winning the 2014 elections on a TD ticket.
 
When contacted for his comments, Mr Mukesh Goud said, “I have not yet decided to join the TD. It is a fact that I met Mr Naidu very recently and discussed the political situation in the city. I will take a decision soon.” Mr Goud lost the 2014 elections to the BJP’s Raja Singh from the Goshamahal Assembly constituency.