In a surprising development, YSR Congress party MP Peddireddy Venkata Mithun Reddy, who was recently granted bail in the Andhra Pradesh liquor scam case, is set to travel to the United States as part of an Indian parliamentary delegation.
The team, led by Bharatiya Janata Party MP and former Andhra Pradesh BJP president Daggubati Purandeswari, will represent India at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), commencing on October 27 in New York.
Interestingly, no member from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), an important alliance partner of the BJP, is part of the delegation, while Mithun Reddy is the only MP from YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to be included.
Purandeswari, who represents the BJP from Andhra Pradesh, has been appointed as the leader of the Indian delegation, and sources say that no other MP from the state was considered due to her leadership role.
Soon after the announcement, Mithun Reddy reportedly approached the court seeking the release of his passport to facilitate his participation in the delegation.
The Indian parliamentary team, comprising 16 Members of Parliament, will attend the UNGA session scheduled to begin on October 27 in New York.
The broader UN General Assembly sessions officially commenced on September 9, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar addressing the general assembly on September 27.
The special parliamentary delegation, departing later in October, will participate in post–high-level events, sideline meetings, and diplomatic discussions as part of India’s engagement at the UN.
Mithun Reddy’s inclusion in the prestigious international delegation — despite his recent legal troubles — has drawn considerable attention in political circles, being viewed as a rare honour facilitated under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
