B. Gurunath Reddy, long-time follower of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, member of the YSRCP since its inception and former legislator from Anantapur, is all set to join the Telugu Desam Party adding to the exodus under way.
Mr. Reddy, who was the losing candidate of the YSRCP in the last Assembly elections, remained a crucial keg in the district party organisation until recently when he started to feel stifled, allegedly with the party allowing other candidates to nurture hopes of a ticket for the Anantapur Assembly segment.
The issue came to a boil at the recently held district party meeting in Anantapur which he didn’t attend but his followers did, only to create a ruckus over his not being given the due respect and importance.
Besides Mr. Gurunath Reddy, his two brothers — Erriswamy Reddy (also active in politics) and Mr. Reddeppa Reddy (popularly known as the BNR brothers after the eldest brother and former Congress legislator B. Narayana Reddy) — are also expected to join the TDP on Thursday in Amaravati in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Along with Mr. Gurunath Reddy, around three to four corporators are also expected to take the plunge into the Telugu Desam though the grapevine is that the corporators are going along with Mr. Reddy on account of loyalty to the BNR brothers.
Mr. Naidu, it is learnt, assured Telugu Desam MLA Vaikuntham Prabhakar Chowdary that Mr. Reddy’s entry wouldn’t mean any threat to his chances of being fielded again.
