Ganji Chiranjeevi, former Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader from Mangalagiri Assembly constituency, on August 29, joined the YSR Congress Party in the presence of Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and local MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy and MLC Murugudu Hanumantha Rao.
Jagan Mohan Reddy welcomed Mr. Chiranjeevi by draping the party shawl around him. MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, MLC Murugudu Hanumantha Rao and other local leaders were present.
Mr. Chiranjeevi contested for TDP from Mangalagiri in the 2014 elections and lost by just seven votes to Alla Ramakrishna Reddy. In the 2019 elections, he was forced to make way for Nara Lokesh, son of then CM N. Chandrababu Naidu. Mr. Lokesh lost the elections and has been coordinating the party affairs in the constituency.
Mangalagiri is one of key constituencies with a large base of handloom weavers. Mr. Chiranjeevi belongs to weaver community and his chances of being fielded from Mangalagiri by the YSRCP is bright.