Bojjala Sudheer Reddy, son of Srikalahasti MLA Bojjala Gopalakrishna Reddy, has reportedly been given the green signal to contest the 2019 election.
Chandrababu Naidu is said to have called Gopalakrishna Reddy and instructed Sudhir to start campaigning in Srikalahasti.
The constituency has been a TDP bastion for the better part of three decades thanks to Gopalakrishna Reddy.
A classmate of Chandrababu Naidu, Gopalakrishna Reddy was travelling along with Naidu when the Alipiri attack happened.
A 5-time MLA, the only time Gopalakrishna tasted defeat was in 2004 at the hands of SCV Naidu who left the TDP and contested on Congress ticket. But SCV Naidu came back to the TDP after bifurcation.
After winning in 2014 against Biyyapu Madhusudan Reddy of the YSRCP, Gopalakrishna Reddy was made Forest Minister only to be unceremoniously removed from the cabinet later.
For the first time, this created a strain in ties between the Bojjalas and Chandrababu Naidu. While ill-health was cited as the reason for his ouster, the Bojjalas dismissed the reason outright.
“We will not quit the TDP. My father has been by Chandrababu’s side at all times. It pains us that Chandrababu did not even have the courtesy to take my father into confidence before removing him from the cabinet,” Sudhir Reddy had said then.
Gopalakrishna Reddy resigned from his MLA post but changed his mind after Chandrababu reportedly promised the ticket to Sudhir for 2019.
There is another theory about why Gopalakrishna was removed from the Cabinet. Apparently, he and KCR are thick friends to the point where they call each other ‘Bava’. Sudhir Reddy is also a close pal of KTR.
The souring of relations between KCR and Chandrababu indirectly affected Bojjala’s Ministership.
While the YSRCP is fielding Biyyapu Madhusudan Reddy again, SCV Naidu who belongs to Chandrababu’s community has been lobbying hard for the ticket. As for the Jana Sena, there is no Party in-charge or convener for Srikalahasti.
In 2014, the BJP fielded Kola Anand who was successful in affecting the prospects of Madhusudhan Reddy.
The Balija community which is present in large numbers here has always been behind the Bojjala family.
Gopalakrishna Reddy got Parthasarthy, a Balija elected as Chairman of Srikalahasti Municipal Corporation after the death of incumbent Peta Radhakrishna Reddy. This is a master stroke indeed.
There are many allegations against the aides of Sudhir Reddy including those of illegal sand mining, red sanders smuggling etc. But it will nevertheless be an uphill task for anyone who is keen on dethroning the Bojjala family.
