TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy met former minister and BRS leader Mandava Venkateswara Rao at his residence in Hyderabad on Sunday night and invited him to join the Congress party.
Accompanied by former minister P. Sudarshan Reddy, Congress leaders — Tummala Nageswara Rao, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, TPCC vice president Mallu Ravi — the TPCC chief request Mr. Mandava to join the party.
A formidable leader in the TDP, who later joined the BRS at the behest of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Mr. Mandava has been maintaining low profile for the past few years.
He served as a Minister in the TDP regime representing Dichpally Assembly constituency in Nizamabad district. Congress leaders see his entry into the Congress would boost the prospects of the party in Nizamabad district where a sizable population of people from Andhra Pradesh had settled down decades ago and call the shot in at least three constituencies.
Sources said if Mr. Mandava decides to join the party, he might be considered for the Nizamabad Rural constituency, which was earlier known as Dichpally constituency till the delimitation exercise was taken up.
Khammam leaders join Cong
A group of corporators belonging to the BRS from Khammam Municipal Corporation joined the Congress in the presence of Mr. Revanth Reddy here. They were accompanied by Mr. Tummala Nageswara Rao.
