Malla Reddy and Son meet DK Shivakumar in Delhi, amid rumours of joining Congress

Telangana: In an interesting political development, BRS Medchal MLA Malla Reddy along with his son Ch Bhadra Reddy met Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar in New Delhi, fanning unconfirmed reports of Malla Reddy trying hard to join the Congress party.

The meeting was confirmed by a picture which has now gone viral in Telangana political circles. It has sparked rumours of another BRS MLA joining the ruling congress party in Telangana.

Sources told NewsMeter that the meeting was facilitated through Malla Reddy’s daughter-in-law Ch Preeti Reddy. Thanks to her connections with D K Shiva Kumar and the Congress top brass.

Demolition drive at Malla Reddy colleges

The timing of the meeting is significant as the state government initiated a demolition drive against a private university located in Dundigal owned by Malla Reddy's son in law RajaShekar Reddy - who happens to be a first time MLA from Malkajgiri assembly constituency.

The owner of the college is Marri Rajasekhar Reddy. In the Telangana State elections in 2019, Revanth Reddy won the Lok Sabha seat from Malkajgiri, defeating Rajasekhar Reddy of BRS.

The revenue officials undertook a demolition drive at educational institutions a few weeks ago. They demolished two permanent buildings and six temporary sheds at the Aeronautical College and the Marri Laxman Reddy Institute of Technology and Management (MLRITM) College at Dundigal, alleging that they were built illegally on a lake bed.

Media captured visuals of students standing in the way of JCB machines, not letting them enter college premises until police intervened.

Accusing the government of targeting him and the BRS, Marri Rajasekhar Reddy told the media then that the sudden urgency in demolition shows the political vendetta by chief minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress government

Meets CM’s advisors, denies rumours

Later, Malla Reddy, along with his son-in-law Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, met Vem Narender Reddy, advisor to CM Revanth Reddy regarding the demolition of the buildings of the colleges run by his son-in-law by the municipal and revenue authorities.

However, Malla Reddy denied rumours that he plans on leaving BRS to join Congress after he met the CM’s advisor. He clarified that he met Narender Reddy on the issues relating to the demolition of buildings of colleges owned by his son-in-law.

During the meeting with BRS president and former CM K Chandrasekhar Rao at his Nandinagar residence, they explained that there was no political reason behind his meeting the adviser to the CM.

BRS leaders who joined Congress

In the recent politcal developments, many BRS senior leaders joined the Congress.

BRS MLC Patnam Mahender Reddy, his wife and Vikarabad zilla parishad chairperson Patnam Sunitha Reddy, former GHMC mayor Bonthu Rammohan and his wife, Cherlapally corporator Bonthu Sridevi, and BRS leader Kancharla Chandrashekar Reddy joined the Congress.

Former MLA from Sirpur, Koneru Konappa announced his resignation from BRS and will join Congress soon.

Peddapalli MP Borlakunta Venkatesh Netha joined the Congress party.

Sources said, MP Dr Ranjith Reddy from Chevella who was replaced by another candidate for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls is trying hard to join the Congress.