Within a day of dissolving the Telangana assembly paving way for the conduct of early elections, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has begun the Operation Akarsh, to lure potential leaders from other political parties, particularly the Congress, into the TRS.
As part of the strategy, KCR successfully trapped former assembly speaker in undivided Andhra Pradesh and senior Congress leader K Suresh Reddy into the TRS on Friday.
He sent his son K T Rama Rao to the residence of Suresh Reddy and convinced him to join the TRS to strengthen the hands of KCR. And Suresh Reddy readily obliged the request.
It was only on Thursday that KCR released the list of 105 candidates for the coming assembly elections.
It also contains the name of V Prashant Reddy for the Balkonda constituency, from where Suresh Reddy contested last time. Despite knowing that there is no place for him to contest he agreed to joining the TRS.
“I believe that all the schemes and initiatives undertaken by the TRS government should continue without any break for the good of the State,” Suresh Reddy said, addressing the media along with Rama Rao
Government advisor and former MP Vivek and former MLAs Prashanth Reddy and Jeevan Reddy also visited Suresh Reddy's home to welcome him into the party on the orders of the party chief and KCR.
Reddy said that he is not expecting a party ticket as the candidate list was already released. However, KTR said the TRS would honour Reddy with a befitting post soon. It is learnt he was offered Rajya Sabha ticket in the coming elections.
Ever since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Reddy stayed away from politics. Reddy served as a speaker of united Andhra Pradesh assembly from 2004-09.
He was a close associate of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. Reddy won the Balconda assembly constituency seat for two times.
Later he lost in 2009 assembly elections from Armoor constituency.