The desertion of Congress leaders into other parties, took a new turn with Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee Secretary Kasu Mahesh Reddy today announced his decision to join YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). He made this announcement after meeting YSRCP President YS Jaganmohan Reddy at latter’s house in Hyderabad, this evening.

The political successor of Kasu family, Mahesh Reddy is the son of former Congress minister Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy, hails from Narasaraopet of Guntur district. His joining the party is likely to boost the morale of YSRCP in uplands of the district, particularly Palnadu region.

After conveying his decision to join the party, Mahesh Reddy invited the leader of opposition, Jaganmohan Reddy to Narasaraopet for his joining into the party, with his followers, at a public meeting to be held on Dec 16. However, his father Krishna Reddy is unlikely to join YSRCP and may prefer to be `politically silent’.

On this occasion, YSRCP leaders from Guntur district including Umareddy Venkateswarlu, Bala Shoury, Janga Krishna Murthy and district party president Marri Rajasekhar were present.Welcoming him into the party, Jaganmohan Reddy expressed hope that his joining would strengthen the party in Guntur district.

Mahesh Reddy is the grand-son of former chief minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy. Congress party allotted him Narasaraopet Assembly seat in 2014, besides Lok Sabha seats to his father Krishana Reddy. But both of them refuse to contest sensing negative winds against the party.

Due to their fathers close association since 1970s, Mahesh Reddy is also having close association at personnel level with Jaganmohan Reddy, since their childhood. In fact, Jaganmohan Reddy invited him to join the party during its initial period. However, as at that time his father Krishna Reddy was a minister, Mahesh Reddy was constrained to join.