Formalizing the split in the number one family of Nellore district, Anam Vijayakumar Reddy today joined the opposition YSR Congress against the wishes of his brothers who joined ruling TDP.
Anam, who lost Nellore (Rural ) assembly constituency in 2014, became member of the YSRC in the presence of party president YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Jagan invited him along with his son by offering party kanduva.
Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy, who played key role in getting Anam into the fold of YSR Congress and MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy were also present at the event. Anam joined the party along with son Karthik Reddy and about 10 sarpanches from Nellore rural Assembly constituency. What is interesting is, though he was defeated by Sridhar Reddy, both Sridhar and Vijayakumar Reddy are good friends.
Last month his brothers Anam Vivekananda Reddy and Ramnarayan Reddy joined Telugu Desam party. But Vijayakumar Reddy chose to dissociate from the move. Finally, he decided to sail with Jaganmohan Reddy.
Anam Family for long controlled the politics of the district. While elder brothers Vivekananda Reddy and Ramnarayan Reddy ran politics at Hyderabad, Vijayakumar Reddy used to look after affairs at district level. He never aspired for any visible post other than Nellore Mandal president. First time he contested election from Nellore Rural Assembly constituency in 2014 and lost.
Though all Anam family members forfeited deposit in the district, it was Vijaykumar Reddy who alone polled more votes (about 14000) in Nellore Rural. The winner was Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy. According to sources, the reason for the split is the differences in the promotion of sons. It is learnt that while AC Subbareddy, son of Vivekananda Reddy was getting priority at the cost of Vijayakumar Reddy. Vijaykumar Reddy realized that by sailing with his brothers there was nothing he would get. So he parted ways with his brothers. Vijayakumar Reddy wants to promote his son in politics. Karthik is likely to contest in 2019 elections.
YSR Congress circles are upbeat over Vijayakumar Reddy’s joining the party , as it was Vijayakumar Reddy’s writ that runs supreme at the grass root level in the district. Many more followers of Vijaykumar Reddy are expected to join the party during Jagan’s next visit to Nellore district.
