After ignoring him, TDP now tries to woo Vemireddy

Nellore: After ignoring him despite his reported willingness to join the party, the ruling TDP is now trying to woo noted philanthropist and contractor Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy after Opposition YSRCP announced him as one of its Rajya Sabha candidates in the forthcoming elections.

• YSRCP has already announced him as their candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls
• Ruling party failed to respond when the noted philanthropist and contractor was reportedly willing to join TDP
• Popularly known as VPR, he has been the major financial backer to the YSRCP candidates in 2014 and even in municipal elections

YSRCP senior leader V. Vijayasai Reddy announced Prabhakar Reddy’s candidature to Rajya Sabha recently in Vizag. Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, popularly known as VPR, has again been playing an active role in the opposition party after he had received an assurance of Rajya Sabha seat which was earlier neglected. He had joined the YSRCP in December 2013 and played a key role in funding the party nominees in 2014 elections.

However, he became inactive for the last few years though the party had designated him as the district coordinator of Nellore. However, he supported party candidates in the corporation elections for getting majority seats.

After the announcement of YSR Congress leaders confirming his candidature for RS elections, some local TDP leaders have reportedly contacted him urging him to join the ruling party.

They reportedly did not offer anything and assured that they would place the issue before party president for considering some position for recognizing his services. “This did not go well with Prabhakar Reddy who refused to discuss the issue any further,” said a senior leader of the ruling party.

The candidature of VPR for Rajya Sabha was in fact finalised during Praja Sankalpa Yatra of YSRCP chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in Chittoor district where party senior leaders P Mithun Reddy and Vijayasai Reddy mounted pressure on him.

YSR Congress leaders tried their best to convince the party chief before padayatra entered Nellore district saying that Prabhakar Reddy was essential for the party for any financial needs and he should be considered for any post.

Keeping in view the upcoming elections, the party took a decision to offer him RS seat in the coming elections which was recently confirmed in Vizag officially.

The announcement created a flutter in ruling party in the district where they had deliberately neglected the influential contractor from the district whom the opposition considered for the RS seat. Now, there are speculation in social media and others about deliberations going on to invite Prabhakar Reddy into TDP.

Meanwhile, Prabhakar Reddy is quite busy with making preparations for the RS elections. Sources in YSRCP said he had already prepared nomination papers which were scrutinised by experts in Delhi too for any errors and would be submitted in the scheduled time.

“Ruling party betrayed him a couple of years ago by failing to recognise his existence. So, he is not interested to consider their request and busy with preparations for the polls, personally contacting all legislators across the state asking their support formally,” said a leader from the YSR Congress Party.