If the reports from Amaravati are any indication, Tollywood producer and actor Bandla Ganesh is all set to formally cross over from the Congress to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and he may be rewarded with a legislative council seat in the coming months.
In 2018, Ganesh had joined the Congress party in Delhi in the presence of Rahul Gandhi, stating he was a fan of the party and wanted to serve the people.
Subsequently, he became an active voice for the Telangana Congress,, even appearing at a rally in Bhainsa with Rahul Gandhi to campaign for the 2018 assembly elections.
He had campaigned for the Telangana Congress in 2023, too, and even predicted that the party would win the assembly elections.
He even wielded a razor claiming that he would slit his throat if the Congress doesn’t win the elections in Telangana.
After the Congress came to power, Ganesh met chief minister A Revanth Reddy a couple of times and there were speculations that he would be given some important post. But Ganesh said he was not expecting any post.
It was surprising for everybody, when Ganesh took up the padayatra recently to Tirupati to fulfil his vow he had taken before 2024 assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh that he would undertake a foot march to Tirumala, if Naidu comes back to power in AP.
The padayatra, titled ‘Sankalpa Yatra’, commenced on January 19 from his residence in Shadnagar in Telangana.
Walking nearly 535 kilometres over 23 days, he reached Tirumala on February 10 and offered prayers at the Lord Venkateswara temple, completing his vow.
Upon returning from Tirumala, Ganesh met the Andhra chief minister and presented Tirupati prasadam.
Naidu warmly received him and enquired about the journey, during which Ganesh shared details of the challenges he faced and the support extended by TDP cadres along the route.
He said the encouragement from party workers helped him complete the arduous march.
With his proximity to the TDP leadership now evident and his public alignment with Chandrababu Naidu reaffirmed, political observers expect Bandla Ganesh to formally join the TDP soon.
Senior party leaders hint that the leadership is considering accommodating him in the Legislative Council as a recognition of his loyalty and outreach efforts in support of the party.