YSR Congress leader Gangula Pratap Reddy joins TDP

In a major jolt to Andhra Pradesh's opposition party YSR Congress Party, ex-MP Gangula Pratap Reddy joined ruling Telugu Desam Party on Wednesday.

Senior leader Reddy from Rayalaseema region met with state Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu at state secretariat in regard to this matter and joined the TDP.

In the wake of Nandyal bypoll which is to be held by the end of this month, Pratap's change of guard comes as a major shock to YSRCP.

Recently, Pratap's brother Prabhakar Reddy had quit the TDP in February this year and joined the YSRC. He immediately got elected as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in March.

Pratap Reddy, in fact, would have been fielded as the YSRC candidate for the bypoll, but the sudden defection of former minister Silpa Mohan Reddy from the TDP changed the equation.

Silpa Reddy is now the YSRC nominee in the by-poll.