Key leaders of TDP, Jana Sena join YSR Congress

Amaravati, April 10: Some key leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena on Wednesday joined Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party.

Pamula Rajeswari Devi, a former MLA from the Jana Sena representing P. Gannavaram, R. Ramesh Kumar Reddy, a former MLA from the TDP representing Rayachoti, and Pothina Mahesh, who previously served as Jana Sena's constituency in-charge from Vijayawada West, formally joined the YSRCP in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Gantavaripalem in Palnadu district on the 12th day of his Memantha Siddham Yatra.

Mohan Reddy, former ZPTC from Lakkireddypalli, Umapathi Reddy, former MPP from Lakkireddypalli, K. Prabhakara Reddy, former marketing committee chairman, Sheikh Hussain, former hospital committee chairman, TDP state secretary Oludasu Krishnamurthy, Divya Kumar Reddy, and other TDP leaders also joined the YSR Congress.

Along with Rajeswari Devi, other Jana Sena leaders too joined the YSRCP. They include Pamula Prakash, Kandregula Ananthababu; Jana Sena district secretary Pothu Kashi; former DCCB director Bontu Jawaharlal; former MPTC G. Prabhuvarma, Y. Nagaraju, and Chilakapati Srinu.

Jana Sena Vijayawada Town Vice President Venna Sivashankar, West Division Constituency President Sheikh Amir Basha, P. Srinivasa Rao, S. Ramugupta and other leaders also joined the YSRCP.

Meanwhile, YSRCP MLC Shaikh Mohammed Iqbal joined the TDP on Wednesday. The TDP President and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu welcomed him into the party.

Last week, the retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer resigned from primary membership of the YSRCP. He also resigned as a member of the Legislative Council. His term was to end in March 2027. The former Inspector-General of Rayalaseema Range joined YSRCP in 2018. He contested unsuccessfully as a YSRCP candidate against actor and TDP leader Balakrishna in the Hindupur constituency.

After the YSRCP came to power in 2019, Iqbal was made MLC. He was reportedly unhappy over the YSRCP’s choice of Tippegowda Narayan Deepika as the party candidate from Hindupur.

Hailing from Kurnool district, Iqbal held several key positions in the police department in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He had served as the Chief Security Officer to N. Chandrababu Naidu in his first term as Chief Minister between 1995 and 2000. After retirement in 2018, he joined the YSRCP.