Vizag Port Container Row: TDP Leader Quits

Telugu Desam Party leader Damacharla Satyanarayana has decided to leave the party amidst allegations linking him to a drug seizure case at the Visakhapatnam port. In a letter made public on Thursday, he expressed his voluntary departure from the party and extended gratitude to party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu for entrusting him with the responsibility of strengthening the party in the Darsi Assembly segment.

Satyanarayana cited his involvement in business dealings with fellow TD party members such as Kunam Veerabhadra Rao, Lavu Sri Krishnadevarayalu, Rayapati Jeevan, and Kunam Kotaiah as a primary reason for his decision. According to Satyanarayana, these associations have led to complications for him. Additionally, he declared his intention to step down from leading Sandhya Aqua Industries and announced his appreciation for the support he received from TD leaders and constituents of the Darsi segment throughout his tenure.

On Wednesday, following an Interpol alert, the CBI seized a shipping container with 25,000 kg of dried yeast mixed with narcotics, imported by Sandhya Aqua Export Limited from Brazil to Visakhapatnam. The CBI filed a FIR against the recipient and suspected individuals in a drug trafficking network. This sparked political controversy in Andhra Pradesh, with accusations flying among parties regarding drug trade involvement.