HYDERABAD: TDP TS unit working president A Revanth Reddy, who already announced that he had kept his options open with regard to joining the Congress, is understood to be holding final discussions with Congress leaders for his entry into the grand-old party. A clarity with regard to Revanth’s next political move will emerge in a couple of days.Though the TDP leader is still not ready to openly acknowledge his decision to take Congress membership, Congress sources said he may join the party during a public meeting to be organised in Warangal on November 9 in the presence of AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi.
The TPCC leadership is planning to hold this meeting to show its strength in the state, besides preparing its cadre for the ensuing general elections. “The AICC leadership has zeroed in on Revanth, given his dynamic nature and aggressive stance taken at TRS government in the state. Rahul Gandhi, who wants to infuse young blood to the party, is of the view that Revanth’s entry into the Congress will help the party in improving its electoral fortunes in the state by the next general polls,” a Congress leader, who has been in touch with Revanth, said.
The Congress leader further disclosed that some of the TDP leaders belonging to Reddy community such as A Uma Madhava Reddy and Vem Narender Reddy, along with some young leaders from TDP’s youth wing are likely to join Congress along with Revanth.
In fact, Revanth Reddy, who represents Kodangal Assembly segment, started his political career from TRS way back in 2003. After contesting the 2004 Assembly polls in the then united state as a rebel candidate against TRS official contestant, the young leader later was elected as MLC from Mahbubnagar district as an independent candidate. Later, he joined the TDP in 2005.
Reddy hit the headlines for his involvement in the cash-for-vote scam that took place in 2015 during the TS MLC polls. Though Revanth undertook several agitations against the alleged failures of the state government, till recently, the latest proposal put forward in the TDP to have alliance with the ruling TRS in the state has made him look towards the Congress.
Cong leaders from Reddy communities uniting Reddy politicos against TRS
A few days after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s statement that “caste-based” politics is an alien phenomenon for the Telangana society, some of the Congress leaders belonging to Reddy community in the state have begun making efforts to unite leaders belonging to their caste against state government. Congress leader and former MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy, while taking part in a public meeting held in Sangareddy district by Vemulaghat farmers against forcible land acquisition on Tuesday, gave a clarion call to Reddy politicos in all parties to come together to take on KCR. “CM KCR is adopting anti-Reddy policies. He is trying to suppress Reddys on all fronts. Even officials belonging to Reddy community in the government are being sidelined.
Would back any development which strengthens Cong: Jaipal Reddy
Amid talk of TDP TS unit working president A Revanth Reddy’s possible cross over to Congress, former Union minister and Congress veteran S Jaipal Reddy said he would back any development which strengthens Congress in TS. “I don’t know about Revanth’s plans to join Congress. However, I would approve of whatever decision, the AICC high command takes in the interests of the party,” he said. Reddy indirectly endorsed a call given by Revanth recently for unity of opposition parties against TRS. “If any party, which does not align with TRS or BJP, comes forward to join hands with us, we will welcome such move,” he said. He said, “CM K Chandrasekhar Rao is afraid of PM Modi as Centre is aware of the wrongdoings of the TRS.”