Congress MLA from Mudhole G. Vittal Reddy joining the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Wednesday ended that party’s representation in the Legislative Assembly from Adilabad as he was its lone winner in the last election. His move has not come as a surprise as rumours in this regard were doing rounds since Nirmal MLA A. Indrakaran Reddy and Sirpur MLA Koneru Konappa, both elected on Bahujan Samaj Party ticket, joined the ruling party over a month ago.
Mr. Vittal Reddy, son of G. Gaddenna who had represented the constituency six times, had lost the 2009 elections when he contested on Praja Rajyam Party ticket, but became the lone Congress candidate to win in the district in the 2014 elections. He decided to cross fences unable to bear the isolation of a numerically reduced Opposition and in the interest of the development of constituency, according to sources close to him.
“He will certainly be fielded by the TRS in case he loses his membership and attracts Anti-Defection Law. The ruling party will ensure his win in the by-election,” the sources said.
Mr. Reddy’s entry into the TRS, it is learnt, was facilitated by Nirmal MLA who will now have him and Mr. Konappa in his close circle in the district. Mr. Indrakaran Reddy is an aspirant for a Ministerial berth in the next Cabinet expansion.
