Gummanur Jayaram, known as the “Benz Minister,” is reportedly considering joining the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) after being denied a ticket by the YSRCP to contest as an MLA from Aluru in Kurnool district, where he had been elected twice consecutively.
While previous YSRCP MLAs and MPs like Kotam Reddy, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Vemireddy, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, and Pardha Saradhi faced little resistance from the TDP cadre upon joining, Jayaram’s potential entry into the TDP has met with strong opposition from party members.
Several reasons contribute to the resistance against Jayaram’s entry into the TDP. In the past, TDP leader Nara Lokesh publicly exposed corruption and alleged illegal activities by Jayaram and his brother during a Yuvagalam event in Aluru Segment in April 2023.
Lokesh presented a list of alleged illegal encroachments by the “Benz Minister” and his brother in Kurnool district, leading to a war of words between the two.
Additionally, accusations have been made that Jayaram’s brother organized a casino in their village, and there were reported clashes between their aides and the police when attempts were made to crack down on the casino in 2020.
Despite YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s offer for Jayaram to contest the Kurnool MP seat, he reportedly prefers to join the TDP.
The joining ceremony is expected to take place after February 25th, in the presence of TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu. TDP is said to have offered Jayaram the option to contest either from Guntakal or any other segment in the district.
