Former Union minister and Congress leader from Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool, Kotla Jayasurya Prakash Reddy, 67, along with his wife Sujata and son Raghavendra, joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in the presence of CM N Chandrababu Naidu on March 2. The Kotla family has a strong base in the region, and Reddy’s decision to jump ship is a shot in the arm for the TDP. “His presence will strengthen the TDP in Kurnool. It will also boost the morale of the party in Rayalaseema region,’’ said Andhra Deputy CM K E Krishnamurthy. While Reddy is expected to be given a ticket to contest from the Kurnool parliamentary constituency, his wife is expected to contest the Assembly elections from one of the constituencies in the district. Raghavendra may be nominated to the Legislative Council, say sources. With Reddy’s entry, TDP is hoping to counter the YSR Congress in the region in the coming elections.
