Former MP Pongulati Srinivas Reddy and former minister Jupally Krishna Rao met BJP leader Etala Rajender in the latter’s farmhouse on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Thursday. Sources say that this was a secret meeting by the trio where they met without their gunmen. The meeting went on for more than four hours. Since it was done in a secretive manner, speculation is rife as to what they discussed in the meeting and if Ponguleti and Jupally will join the BJP ahead of the elections.
The BJP leadership is trying hard to bring Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Jupalli Krishna Rao into the party. The BJP inclusion committee headed by Etala Rajender has already gone to Khammam and held discussions with Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Jupalli Krishna Rao. Then there was a public discussion in front of everyone. Both of them made it clear that they would think about it and make a decision later on whether to join the BJP or not. But the fact that the current meeting is being held in utmost secrecy makes it politically interesting. Sources in the BJP say that talks are being held to invite both of them into the party. But Ponguleti and Jupalli are going to start a new party, and as part of this, if they secretly met Etala, is that another question? Are they really inviting both of them into the BJP? Or have they invited Etala to their new party? Is not yet known.
Recently, Etala Rajender went to Delhi and met the national leaders of the party, Nadda and Sunil Bansal. It is reported that the administration is not at all willing to give up a leader like Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy. With this, BJP sources are saying that they are in talks to convince Ponguleti and Jupalli to join the party in some way.
