Anantapur: With their future in the Congress sealed due to the bifurcation of the state and dissidence with the high command, senior Congress man and Tadipatri MLA J. C. Diwakar Reddy's family members and group of loyalists are set to join Telugu Desam.
Differences with party leaders including the APCC president Botsa Satyanarayana and revenue minister N. Raghuveera Reddy has also expedited his exit from the Congress.
Though speculations were rife that he was going to join YSRC Diwakar Reddy, his pot shots at TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and extending support to leading Samaikyandhra agitation a couple of days ago changed drastically after the Telugu Desam in-charge of Tadipatri Assembly segment Peram Nagi Reddy suddenly joined YSR Congress on Wednesday in the presence of YSR Congress president Y.S. Jagan at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district.
Peram Nagi Reddy has been defeated thrice in the Assembly elections by J.C. Diwakar Reddy and also served as municipal chairperson at municipality. The YSR Congress has assured to field Peram Nagi Reddy's daughter-in-law P. Sarojamma from Tadipatri segment in the coming polls.
Peram Nagi Reddy’s sudden entry in YSR Congress party has resulted in the Diwakar Reddy group shifting loyalties to Telugu Desam. Sources said that Telugu Desam leadership has offered JC Diwakar Reddy group MLA and MP seats.
J.C. Diwakar Reddy’s son J.C. Pavankumar Reddy has been offered Assembly seat from Tadipathri segment while offering the Anantapur Lok Sabha seat to his brother J.C. Prabhakar Reddy.
With Peram Nagi Reddy quitting Telugu Desam, the line has been cleared for the JC family at Tadipatri.
Rumours say that the party high command has assured to compensate TDP politburo member K. Sreenivasulu, former MP from Anantapur Lok Sabha, with a ticket from Guntakal or Rayadurg Assembly segments.
Peram Nagi Reddy held a meeting with TD cadre before leaving the party and tried to wangle the support of party cadres. However, a group of party cadres had meeting with politburo member Kaluva Sreenivasulu at his residence here on Thursday where several leaders opposed the entry of J.C. Diwakar family into TDP as they have had a history of cases due to political rivalry with him for over a decade. Ironically, TD high command is reportedly banking on the J.C. Diwakar group to strengthen the party.
