Hyderabad: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, credited with running his party with an iron hand, got the taste of rebellion from his own younger brother Ramamurthy Naidu, who joined Congress today (Dec 8, 2003).

The 'Junior' Naidu met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her Parliament House office and expressed willingness to work for the party to which she immediately agreed, sources said.

Ramamurthy Naidu has been having a strained relationship with his elder brother ever since the TDP leadership cold-shouldered him following his defeat in the 1999 Assembly polls.

The bitter sibling rivalry today culminated in Ramamurthy Naidu joining Congress, a development viewed by the Opposition party as a "moral victory".

In Hyderabad, the TDP, however, made light of the development saying he was not a member of the party as he had failed to renew his membership.

The younger Naidu, a former Minister, had slipped into a prolonged political hibernation after failing to retain Chandragiri seat in the Chief Minister's home district of Chittoor in the previous polls.

Later, he made vain attempts to warm up to the TDP leadership. But when the Chief Minister made no secret of his disinclination towards his brother playing an active role in the party, he raised a banner of revolt against the leadership.

PTI