For quite some time, there had been talk that Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu might drop senior minister Bojjala Gopalakrishina Reddy.
Though Bojjala was aware of it, he was confident that Naidu would not take such a step because the latter always treated him as his close friend right from the days of infamous Viceroy incident in which Naidu had overthrown the government of his father-in-law N T Rama Rao.
He was also injured along with Naidu during the Naxalites’ blast at Alipiri at the foothills of Tirumala in October 2003.
Bojjala enjoyed key positions in the Naidu government, though he maintained safe distance from Naidu in working out political strategies. But he remained loyal to Naidu and the TDP.
But, Naidu just ignored this loyalty and dropped him from the cabinet to accommodate another Reddy from Chittoor district – N Amarnath Reddy from Punganur, who defected from the YSR Congress party.
What hurt Bojjala most was that Naidu had leaked the info that the senior TDP leader was being dropped because of his ill-health. Though it is true to a large extent, Bojjala took it as an insult. That is precisely why he offered to resign from the MLA post and remain a dedicated party activist.
Sources in the TDP said Naidu had taken the decision because Bojjala has not been active in discharging his duties as a minister but mostly confined to Srikalahasti.
Even in the party meetings, Bojjala has not been very keenly participating. So, Naidu reportedly told him to take rest and encourage his son Sudheer Reddy.
He promised that Sudheer Reddy would be given party ticket in the next elections from Srikalahasti. Bojjala is learnt to be convinced with Naidu’s assurance, say sources.
