Energy Minister Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy’s sudden visit to Kuppam, the bastion of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Sunday gathered political overtones, following the presence of Mr. Naidu in Chittoor district.
Taking a break from his official visit to Bangarupalem mandal 20 km away, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy made his way to Kuppam, where he called on the family members of Parthasarathy, former chairman of the local Tirupati Gangamamba temple who committed suicide on April 7, citing financial crisis due to huge debts he ran up to get the temple board post.
Party cadres said that Mr. Reddy had extended his “personal assistance” to the family members and promised to take care of the education of the son of the deceased.
It is observed that the Minister’s visit to Kuppam was initially scheduled for May 11 but reportedly changed to Sunday, following Naidu’s tentative visit to Kuppam for three days from May 11.
Mr. Naidu was in Chittoor to call on the family members of a party leader.
The suicide of Parthasarathy, the Kuppam municipality’s party In-charge and a BC, a month ago, led to a sort of uneasiness among the party cadres in the constituency.
Many youth and party cadres who have been with the YSRCP since its formation had formed a group and openly expressed their discontent at the domination of the newcomers in the party.
A couple of weeks ago, the party workers met the Minister’s son Peddireddi Mithun Reddy, Rajampet MP, at his residence in Tirupati, and sought his intervention to end the unrest among the cadres in Kuppam.
A senior TDP leader in Chittoor termed the Minister’s Kuppam visit during Mr. Naidu’s presence as a “political move”.
“The itinerary of Naidu during his tentative May 11-13 visit includes a visit to Parthasarathy’s residence. The ruling party cadres had only countered it now as they are desperate not to lose the political mileage,” he said.
