Kiran Kumar Reddy, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a major political party in India. Reddy was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh from 2010 to 2014 and was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) party. However, he resigned from the party in 2014 due to disagreements with its leadership over the creation of Telangana state. Reddy’s decision to join the BJP is seen as a significant move in the political landscape of Andhra Pradesh, which is set to hold state assembly elections in 2024.
Reddy’s entry into the BJP is expected to strengthen the party’s position in Andhra Pradesh, where it has been struggling to gain a foothold. The BJP currently holds only four seats in the state assembly, while the ruling YSR Congress Party has a comfortable majority with 151 seats. Reddy is a prominent political leader in Andhra Pradesh and has a significant following, especially among the Reddy community, which is one of the dominant castes in the state. His inclusion in the BJP is expected to help the party attract more support from the community and other sections of the society.
Reddy’s decision to join the BJP is also seen as a setback for the main opposition party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which was hoping to ally with him for the upcoming elections. The TDP, led by former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, has been struggling to regain power in Andhra Pradesh since it lost to the YSR Congress Party in 2019. With Reddy’s entry into the BJP, the TDP’s hopes of forming a strong anti-incumbent alliance have been dashed. The BJP, on the other hand, is expected to use Reddy’s popularity and leadership skills to strengthen its position in Andhra Pradesh and emerge as a major player in the state’s politics.
