The Bhuma family, which has been treating Allagadda and Nandyal areas as its virtual fiefdom, has received a rude shock with the Telugu Desam Party leadership appointing senior minority leader and former minister N M D Farookh as the in-charge of Nandyal assembly constituency.
TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu conveyed the same to Bhuma family. He called former minister Bhuma Akhila Priya’s cousin and former MLA Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy to his residence in Hyderabad on Sunday and told him that Farookh would contest from Nandyal this time.
He reportedly assured that Brahmananda Reddy would be made an MLC soon after the TDP comes to power. He requested Reddy to cooperate with Farookh.
This has upset Brahmananda Reddy, who has been nurturing the constituency for the last four years. However, surveys commissioned by the TDP leadership apparently revealed that the Bhuma family has ruined the party image in Nandyal and surroundings by resorting to land settlements and illegal financial dealings.
Even in Allagadda, Akhila Priya has not got the good image, because of the involvement of her brother Jagat Vikhyat Reddy and husband Bhargav in several shady deals. In Allagadda, Naidu has an alternative – Subba Reddy, who is involved in group fighting with Akhila.
For now, Naidu focussed on Nandyal and replaced Brahmananda Reddy with Farookh, a relatively non-controversial person as the party in-charge and prospective MLA candidate.
Sources said Bhuma family is now terribly upset with the developments. Though there is no immediate reaction from the family members, it is learnt they are contemplating shifting to YSR Congress party for their political survival.
