In a big jolt to Telugu Desam Party in Visakhapatnam district, Visakha Dairy Chairman Adari Anand, along with his team of 12 directors, joined the YSR Congress Party on Sunday.
He, along with his sister P Rama Kumar, former chairperson of Yelamanchili municipal chairperson, formally joined the party in the presence of YSRC president and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in Amaravati.
Anand, who unsuccessfully contested as a TDP candidate from Anakapalle Parliamentary constituency in the last general election, is the son of Adari Tulasi Rao who was considered as a TDP strongman in the district.
In fact, Anand wanted to join the YSRCP before the elections but had to stay back and contest the polls due to pressure from party president and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. After his loss to Dr Satyavati by a huge margin, he decided to join the ruling party.
Several ZPTC and MPTC members also joined the YSRC along with Anand. Anand’s exit will weaken the TDP further in Anankapalle, TDP sources said.
Anand, who hails from Kapu community, said he was convinced with the welfare programmes taken up by Jagan Reddy for the dairy farmers.
“I am confident Jagan’s government will usher in a new era in the welfare of common people,” he said.
