Hyderabad: A month before elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha, the main opposition Telugu Desam Party on Sunday received a big jolt with party Vice-President Gutta Sukhender Reddy joining the ruling Congress party.
Sukhender Reddy joined the Congress party in the presence of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. The ruling party is likely to field him as its candidate from Nalgonda Lok Sabha seat.
The former MP had resigned on Saturday from the TDP to protest the denial of party ticket.
The TDP wants to leave Nalgonda Parliamentary seat for Communist Party of India (CPI) under the seat adjustment with the constituent of Mahakutami or the grand alliance of opposition parties.
Sukhender Reddy, who had earlier represented the same seat, alleged that TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu had gone back on his promise to field him from Nalgonda constituency. He said he was also ready to contest from an Assembly constituency.
Though Sukhender Reddy was sulking for some time following his differences with Naidu, he took the decision to part ways only after Naidu declined to give him the party ticket.
The resignation of a senior leader has come as a big blow to the party in Nalgonda district, a part of Telangana region. Several supporters of Sukhender Reddy have also quit the party along with him.
This is the latest in a series of resignation of top TDP leaders. In July last year, T Devender Goud, who was holding the number two position in the party, quit to form a separate outfit. He recently merged his outfit with Praja Rajyam of actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi.
Several former ministers K Vidyadhar Rao, Tammineni Sitaram, Bhuma Nagi Reddy, Shobha Nagi Reddy, Kala Venkat Rao, and S V Subba Reddy have also quit TDP to join the Praja Rajyam.
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