According to sources close to him, the efforts to form a party would gain momentum after NTR's death anniversary on January 18. Though Harikrishna is not willing to spell out his future course of action, hectic parleys have been going on at his `Aahwaanam Hotel' in the busy Abids area in the city.

The TDP leadership has already concluded that Harikrishna is bent on leaving the party and that efforts to dissuade him at this stage would serve no purpose. Party president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed the view at the last Cabinet meeting on January 12.

Naidu asked the party leaders not to issue any statements provoking the legislator, to avoid precipitating the crisis. "We are keenly watching the developments and observing the statements made by him (Harikrishna). But, we would like tokeep mum for now," a TDP politburo member said.

On his part, Harikrishna too preferred to remain silent on his future course of action. "I do not want to add anything to what I have already said," he told newspersons.