Former endowments minister Jupalli Krishna Rao is all set to quit the Congress and join Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Sunday to take up separate Telangana cause in a big way. Along with him, six former ZPTC and MPTC members and some minority cell leaders, besides hundreds of his followers are also likely to join the TRS in Hyderabad.

Sources said hectic parleys are on in Jupalli’s constituency of Kollapur where the former minister has been camping for the last three days to mobilize supporters.
Though Jupalli had contemplated joining TRS two months ago, his supporters dissuaded him. Observers said Jupalli had made his intentions clear on Thursday itself during a press conference at Kollapur when he said he won't hesitate to quit the Congress in support of the Telangana cause. Highly-placed sources told that Jupalli is also in talks with Nagarkurnool MP Manda Jagannatham to woo him to the TRS camp.

Sources said Jupalli held a secret meeting with KCR a week back where he expressed his willingness to join the party. Analysts said since Jupalli hails from the same community (Velama) of KCR, switching of sides from Congress to TRS should be a smooth affair. Insiders said the main reason for Jupalli joining TRS is the total dominance of district politics by minister D K Aruna. Ever since Jupalli resigned as minister on May 30 this year, Aruna has been trying to dominate him. She even got him arrested when he tried to undertake a padayatra in her Gajwel constituency. Upset over the allocation of endowments portfolio, Jupalli first tendered his resignation letter to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi on March 3 this year. Sources said Jupalli is also planning to join former minister Komatireddy’s indefinite fast in Nalgonda.