Anantapur: Former MLA from Anantapur and YSRC senior leader B. Gurunath Reddy is all set to join Telugu Desam in the presence of Chief Minister and party supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu on November 30 days before YSRC chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy's Praja Sankalpa Yatra is scheduled to enter Anantapur district.
Mr Gurunath Reddy, a close aide of the Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy family for decades, was not happy with the political moves of YSRC chief Jaganmohan Reddy in Anantapur urban constituency without his involvement.
Mr Gurunath Reddy's brother B. Narayana Reddy was a close aide of Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy even while he was in the opposition since 1989. Most of the other MLAs including the present APCC chief N. Raghuveera Reddy were with the rival group led by veteran leader J.C. Diwakar Reddy.
Mr Gurunath Reddy was elected MLA from the Congress party from urban segment after his elder brother B. Narayana Reddy fell sick. The YSRC chief was reportedly encouraging secondary leadership from Anantapur. Minority leader Nadeem Ahmed's candidature for YSRC under Anantapur urban Assembly was almost finalised to replace Gurunath Reddy and his family members. Gurunath Reddy and his brothers were maintaining a distance from party activities for the past few months. They were not even leading protests and other activities.
Further, Reddy's family was facing allegations over alleged encroachment of church land located in the heart of the city and the issue has been pending with the court. However, the state government also issued GO to hand over lands for general hospital.
As the former MLA of YSRC decided to shift loyalties to TD, four corporators from Anantapur Municipal Corporation and other leaders from the city would join Telugu Desam during a programme at Vijayawada on November 30. Anantapur urban politics will take new turn following Reddy's family to join TD.
