Miffed Kotla to join Telugu Desam

Amaravati: The Congress party in the state is set to suffer a major jolt as senior party leader from Kurnool Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy and his family has decided to join the TDP. On Monday, all his supporters had submitted their resignations to the Congress party and informed Reddy that they would be with him whatever decision he would take.

Suryaprakash Reddy was miffed with the Congress party for not taking his advice on various issues seriously. He is learnt to have told his followers that he felt insulted and had decided to quit Congress party. Kotla family has good hold in the Kurnool constituency. The last straw on his back was the refusal of the Congress party to consider his advice to have electoral alliance with TDP. Following this, Reddy met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. 

According to sources, Kotla is learnt to have asked for the Kurnool Lok Sabha ticket and three assembly tickets for his followers which includes Dhone assembly seat. For the past four decades the fight in this part was between Kotla family and the family of the deputy chief minister K E Krishnamurty. In case Kotla insists on Dhone assembly seat, it remains to be seen how KE would react.

However, if Kotla joins TDP, then the Reddy and BC combine can ensure victory of TDP in seven assembly constituencies under the Kurnool Lok Sabha constituency. At present out of seven assembly constituencies, five assembly seats are with YSRCP. But the tide can turn in favour of TDP if Kotla joins the party, TDP leaders feel.