Mani Gandhi Blames Chandrababu For Luring Him Into TDP

Kodumur(Kurnool): Kodumur MLA Mani Gandhi admitted that he had joined the Telugu Desam after its leaders lured him with money.

"I cannot kill my self-respect by making false claims that other defected MLAs did," he remarked. He was speaking to media persons at Kodumur Mandal Parishad office in Kodumur of Kurnool district, on Monday.

Mani Gandhi told the media persons that he had won the Assembly segment with a majority of 53,000 votes, contesting on a YSRCP ticket. "I had secured votes more than Chandrababu Naidu," he said.

"After joining the Telugu Desam, I ruined my political career. I had given Rs 13.50 lakh for the party during the Telugu Desam membership drive, neither me, nor my party workers and supporters got membership cards," he said. He alleged that the membership cards were stolen by TDP constituency in-charge Vishnu Vardhan Reddy and his henchmen.

Mani Gandhi further said that Budwel MLA Jayaramudu too will quit the TDP and join the YSRCP soon. The political scenario in the state is likely to change in the next six months, he said.

"Varla Ramaiah and constituency in-charge Minister Kaluva Srinivasulu tried to bring about consensus between me and Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, however, the efforts turned out to be futile," he said.

The visibly upset MLA said he would rather choose to quit politics than make friendship with the TDP constituency in-charge.