Senior TDP leader Peddi Reddy to join BJP

Senior TDP leader and former minister E Peddi Reddy, a two-time MLA, said Monday he plans to join the BJP soon.

"There is willingness from my side and they (BJP) requested me to join. I am discussing with all. Most probably, their (BJP) leadership would give date and time... (for joining) in Hyderabad," he told PTI.

Reddy, who is a general secretary of TDP, had served as minister during the tenure of TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu as Chief Minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

He won twice from Huzurabad in Karimnagar district.

The BJP had won the Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat in the recent elections.

Senior TRS leader A P Jithender Reddy, D K Aruna, who had served as a Minister in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, and former Congress MLC, P Sudhakar Reddy, had recently joined the BJP.

The TDP, led by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, had won two seats in the Assembly elections in Telangana last December. One of them has announced his decision to join the TRS.

Peddi Reddy noted that TDP did not contest the recent Lok Sabha polls in Telangana and also fielded candidates for a limited number of seats in the Assembly polls six months ago.

"If the party stops contesting (in Telangana), it would not have organisational strength," he said.

Though he did not like quitting TDP, there is no alternative after state bifurcation (with TDP mainly focused on Andhra Pradesh), he said.

With MLAs from TDP and Congress joining the ruling TRS after elections, people see BJP as a strong party as its MLAs did not switch sides, Peddi Reddy said.

His supporters and well-wishers have backed his decision to join BJP, he claimed.

TDP, which faced a major defeat in the Assembly polls in Telangana in alliance with Congress, suffered a shock defeat in the hands of YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh in the Assembly polls held along with the Lok Sabha polls.