Tirupati-based realtor ‘Dollars’ Divakar Reddy formally joined the Telugu Desam Party in the presence of party president N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday, April 11.
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Mr. Naidu welcomed the young leader and a leading businessman into the party fold and asked him to work seriously for the party’s victory in the contiguous constituencies of Tirupati, Chandragiri and Srikalahasti.
It may be recalled that Mr. Divakar Reddy himself was an aspirant for the prestigious Chandragiri ticket and tried his best to wrest it. However, as the ticket was already confirmed to the TDP constituency in-charge Pulivarthi Venkata Mani Prasad (alias Pulivarthi Nani), Mr. Chandrababu Naidu asked Mr. Divakar Reddy to extend cooperation to Mr. Nani and ensure his victory.
A native of Perumallapalle village in Tirupati Rural mandal, Mr. Divakar Reddy’s entry into active politics ahead of the general elections is seen as an attempt to poach the vote bank of Chevireddy Mohith Reddy, the YSRCP candidate for Chandragiri constituency, who hails from Thummalagunta in the same mandal.
Similarly, political analysts feel that Mr. Divakar Reddy will wield his clout with the locals to lure the Reddy voters into the TDP fold. Mr. Naidu is learnt to have assured ‘due recognition’ to Mr. Divakar Reddy after winning the elections.