Following Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao decision to dissolve the state Assembly and call for early polls, Congress leader and former speaker K R Suresh Reddy announced that he would be joining the Telangana Rashtra Samiti.
In a blow to the Congress, KR Suresh Reddy announced his decision to join the TRS after holding discussions with IT Minister K Taraka Rama Rao (KTR), two ex-MLAs and government adviser Dr Vivekanand on Friday afternoon in Hyderabad.
Hailing from Nizamabad's Balkonda, Suresh Reddy is a four-time Congress MLA. He began his political career as a youth Congress leader and later went on to be the party whip. He was United Andhra's Assembly speaker between 2004 and 2009 during then Chief Minister YS Rajashekara Reddy’s tenure.
Speaking to the media, KTR said that both Suresh Reddy and KCR have both worked under different leaders and have the same concerns when it comes to the separate Telangana state. “In the given political situation... as he earlier told our leader KCR that when the time arrives to work together he would join the party, we have come here to welcome him into the TRS party,” KTR said.
Assuring Suresh Reddy a ‘respectable’ position in the future, KTR said, “He has worked in the highest position as the Assembly Speaker. I believe our leader KCR will accommodate him in the party as per his level. I thank him for accepting our invitation to join”.
Speaking to the press, Suresh Reddy said, "I have worked with KCR and other leaders directly and indirectly for the creation of Telangana".
“I have been seeing the silent revolution in the state in all sectors since 2014. In order to continue the same pace of development, I feel it is a critical time and the TRS party should continue to rule,” he said.
“The driver (KCR) of a speeding car (the government) should not be changed. I have accepted KCR's invitation. Soon we will join the TRS,” the former Speaker added.
He has also stated that his decision was taken in the 'interest of the people'. Suresh Reddy and his followers from Nizamabad will formally join the party in Hyderabad next week in the presence of the TRS chief.
Suresh Reddy was one of the Congress’ key faces and has more than three decades of political experience.