The Bharatiya Janata Party in Andhra Pradesh has not been able to attract Telugu Desam Party MLAs because of the threat of disqualification from their assembly membership.But, it seems to be succeeding in luring disgruntled TDP leaders who had either failed to get party tickets in the recent elections or those who lost the elections with huge margins.
For example, the BJP leaders successfully managed to lure senior TDP leader K Chalama Reddy from Macherla in Guntur district.On Saturday, Chalama Reddy hosted lunch for senior BJP leaders including Somu Veerraju and N Venkat Rao at his Macherla residence. He announced that he would soon join the BJP.
In 2014 assembly elections, Chalama Reddy lost to YSR Congress Party’s Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy from the Macherla Assembly constituency. He continued in the party and worked hard to rebuild the party in Macherla.But TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu ignored his loyalty and gave the party ticket to another leader A Anji Reddy.
Though Chalama Reddy and his followers staged a protest near Naidu’s Vundavalli residence, he could not get justice. Now, he has decided to join the BJP.Similarly, another senior TDP leader Saikam Jayachandra Reddy from Chandragiri in Chittoor district is also all set to join the BJP.
On Friday, BJP state president Kanna Lakshminarayana went to Saikam’s residence for dinner and both of them discussed the state politics.Saikam, who left the Praja Rajyam Party and joined the TDP before 2014 elections, was made AP Civil Supplies Corporation chairman. But now that the TDP has no chances of recovery, he has decided to join the BJP.