Anumula Revanth Reddy (46), the TDP MLA from Kodangal who was arrested on Sunday for trying to bribe a nominated legislator from Anglo-Indian community, is an aggressive leader and well-known face of TDP in Telangana. He is also the deputy floor leader of his party at the Assembly from where he may get disqualified soon. Reddy is known to take on Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and TRS ministers both in the House and outside over issues like farmers’ suicides, irregularities in paying compensation to Telangana martyrs, and the state’s household intensive survey. Elected from Kodangal in 2009 and 2014, the sharp-witted politician rose quickly in Telangana’s TDP unit and his closeness to party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu was a cause for heartburn for many, including TDP floor leader in Telangana assembly Erabelli Dayakar Rao. Fissures had developed within the state TDP unit and many had sided with Reddy. The party’s MLA count in the state dropped to 10 when 5 of its legislators joined TRS and Naidu is known to have entrusted Reddy the task of keeping the rest of the flock together. On Sunday, Reddy had gone to the house of nominated Anglo-Indian MLA Elvis Stephenson’s flat at Pushpa Nilayam apartments in Secunderabad. He had allegedly offered Stephenson Rs 5 lakh through a pastor if he voted for the TDP candidate in the Legislative Council elections that took place Monday. Reddy visited him on Sunday to pay Rs 50 lakh in advance, said sources. The Anti-Corruption Bureau, however, had rigged Stephenson’s flat with cameras after he reportedly informed them of Reddy’s offer a week back. The video recordings showed Reddy and his aides offering Rs 50 lakh to Stephenson just before they were nabbed. Reddy, whose daughter is getting engaged on June 11, was produced before a court which remanded him in 14 days’ judicial custody. Sources said Reddy had used his influence in TDP to get his friend Vem Narendra Reddy the ticket for MLC election and ensuring his friend’s victory had become a prestige issue for him. “With YSRCP in Telangana and AIMIM declaring their support to TRS, Reddy was desperate. Five of TDP Telangana MLAs have already joined TRS, so he had little support. We feel he was lured into a trap,” a TDP leader said. The TDP leader denied offering bribe. “I was told that Stephenson wanted to discuss a business deal. As soon as we reached his place, we were arrested. You all know this has been done at the behest of CM K Chandrashekar Rao,” he said, before he was taken for interrogation on Sunday evening. Reddy has been booked under Prevention of Corruption Act and Representation of People’s Act.
