DL Ravindra Reddy decides to join TDP

Kadapa: Rayalaseema region is witnessing metamorphic changes as the Congress stalwarts who had given a tough time to the TDP and made its survival a near impossible task are now one after the other quitting Congress party and migrating to TDP.

Six term MLA and former Minister DL Ravindra Reddy who has been a staunch Congress man is all set to join the Telugu Desam Party.

Clear indications for this came when he met the Telugu Desam Party President N Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad and later, participated in a meeting of the Telugu Desam Party activists organised by TDP-incharge and Duvvuru TDP MLA Putta Sudhakar Yadav wearing a yellow shawl at Mydukuru town on Monday and called upon the rank and file to support the TDP candidates.

Ravinder Reddy's sudden appearance in the Telugu Desam Party meeting created political flutter in the district political circles. Though he did not spell out what transpired in the meeting with the TDP President or whether he was assured of a party ticket to contest the Assembly elections, he gave a call to his followers to support the Telugu Desam Party in the ZPTC and MPTC elections. He said that he would take a final decision in two or three days.

In fact more Congress leaders like G Veerasiva Reddy, MLA from Kamalapuram and Nandyala Varadarajulu Reddy who was till recently considered to be a staunch supporter of former chief minister Kirankumar Reddy are also contemplating to join the TDP.

According to sources, Ravindra Reddy will join the TDP on March 25. He is likely to be fielded from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency against YSR Congress party. One of the family members of YS Jaganmohan Reddy is the likely candidate from here. TDP will be supported by the BJP in this constituency.

Ravindra Reddy called upon his followers to ensure that Telugu Desam party candidates win in municipal, rural ZP and Mandal elections as well. For the past two days, he has been addressing number of party meetings and urged people to vote for Telugu Desam party.

Ravindra Reddy had won from Mydukur Constituency in 1978, 1983,1989,1994,2004 and 2009 elections. He lost only two occasions in the hands of TDP candidate S Raghurami Reddy. He was a minister earlier Marri Chennar Reddy and Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy governments.

He was later a member of Kiran's cabinet. But he was removed from the cabinet following differences with Kiran. This is second district after Kurnool, where TDP is admitting the cream of Reddy's from Congress.