Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy recently joined the BJP, making him the second ex-Congress leader from South India to switch sides in as many days. Anil Antony, the son of Congress veteran from Kerala AK Antony, also recently joined the BJP. Mr Reddy served as the last Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh before the formation of Telangana state in 2014. He resigned from the Congress in March 2023 over differences with the party leadership.
The upcoming assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh next year, where the ruling YSR Congress and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party are locked in a bitter contest, make Mr Reddy’s move to join the BJP particularly significant. This move could potentially tip the scales in favour of the BJP, which is hoping to make inroads in the state.
Mr Reddy is expected to strengthen the BJP’s presence in the Rayalaseema region, where he has considerable influence. He could also be projected as a potential chief ministerial candidate by the BJP, which is attempting to emerge as a third alternative in the state.
Upon joining the BJP, Mr Reddy praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and cited his family’s six-decade-long association with the Congress. He remarked that he ‘never imagined’ he would leave the party. However, he hit out at his Congress leadership for its ‘inability to accept the people’s verdict and make course correction’. He also criticized the Congress for its failure to take responsibility and interact with others.
Praising the BJP’s leaders led by PM Modi for their ‘hard work and commitment towards the nation’, Mr Reddy said that ‘taking courageous decisions is the hallmark of the government.’
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