hyderabad
Senior leader of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Minister T. Harish Rao invited Congress leader and former MLA P.Vishnuvardhan Reddy, son of popular leader late P. Janardhan Reddy, to join BRS by visiting the latter’s residence in Domalguda here on Monday.
Mr.Vishnuvardhan Reddy, who was aspiring for the Congress ticket from Jubilee Hills constituency, was left disappointed after the party allotted the ticket to former captain of the Indian cricket team Mohd. Azharuddin. The Congress, however, allotted the Khairatabad ticket to Mr.Reddy’s sibling P.Vijaya Reddy. Mr.Reddy met BRS chief K.Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday night.
Speaking after meeting the Congress leader, Mr.Harish Rao said Congress and PJR and his family were inseparable and late PJR had excelled in leading the Congress Legislature Party during 1994-99 when the Congress was trounced following a landslide win by Telugu Desam Party under late N.T. Rama Rao. Late PJR always stood for the poor and was always available to those in trouble.
Even after PJR’s death, Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy continued the legacy of helping the poor and as the ruling party (Congress) MLA, he had supported the BRS (earlier TRS) demand against construction of Pulichintala project which was meant to irrigate lands in Andhra region by submerging thousands of acres in Telangana. He had also supported the movement for statehood to Telangana from 2009.
Mr.Harish Rao stated that Mr.Vishnuvardhan Reddy would be given a respectable position in BRS that befits the stature of late PJR. He said Mr. Reddy had agreed to join BRS as he was peeved at the “sale of tickets in the Congress” and termed the ensuing election as a fight between those who fought and are fighting for Telangana interests, and those who betrayed it.
“I was of the belief that Congress meant PJR and PJR meant Congress all these years and never expected thiis situation to unfold as our family has been associated with the party for 52 years. There’s nobody to heed our pain even after denial of ticket in the Congress. I have decided to join BRS with the belief in its leadership to serve the constituents, who were the lifeline of PJR,” Mr.Vishnuvardhan Reddy said.
