Hyderabad: Speculation of Telangana Telugu Desam Working President A Revanth Reddy joining Congress party has intensified with his open attack on senior ministers of TDP government in Andhra Pradesh.
In a clear indication the leader from Telangana had fallen out with the TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Revanth Reddy has alleged secret dealing between Andhra ministers and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“While I am busy fighting against KCR [Telangana Chief Minister K Chandashekar Rao], some AP ministers are enjoying friendship with him. If they behave like this with what face can I go to the people of Telangana,” Reddy told media Wednesday.
He alleged that AP Finance Minister Y Ramakrishnudu was given Rs20 billion (Dh1.12 billion) contract and the family of another minister Paritala Sunitha was given beer manufacturing company near Hyderabad.
Denying speculations that he was joining Congress party, Reddy said was staying in the national capital for the last two days and met several senior Congress leaders to discuss the plans.
Now with this open attack on Telugu Desam leaders and Andhra ministers, Reddy seems to be closing his options of staying with the TDP.
Problems between Reddy and TDP leadership started growing last month when KCR was given a rousing reception at the wedding of the son of Paritala Sunita at Penukonda in Anantapur district.
“The happenings at the Paritala wedding had hurt me,” Reddy said, wondering what transpired in the private meeting between KCR and the TDP leader P Keshav at the wedding.
All the Andhra ministers at the wedding had over reacted in welcoming KCR, he said.
It was soon after KCR attended the wedding that the speculation of a possible tie up between the TRS and TDP started doing the rounds.
KCR defended his presence at the wedding saying late Paritala Ravindra was his close friend from the days when he (KCR) was general secretary of TDP in-charge of Anantapur district and attended the wedding as the family had personally invited him.
Reddy, who is known as bitter critic of KCR, was piqued at the treatment accorded to KCR at the wedding and was unhappy over the speculation of a possible tie up between the two parties.
In the backdrop of these developments the state Congress leaders started wooing him.
According to sources in the Telangana Congress Committee, discussions over Reddy’s admission had entered the final phase and he was will formally join the party at a public meeting in Warangal on November 9 in the presence of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.
Revanth Reddy was likely to be accompanied by some more Telangana TDP leaders including the former minister Uma Madhava Reddy and her son.
Wooing Reddy is being seen as an attempt by the Congress to rope in the powerful and influential Reddy community, which was apparently feeling marginalised and ignored under the TRS rule.
