Death threat video: Nellore Rural MLA accuses YSRCP of hatching plan to kill him

A ‘death threat video’ to Nellore Rural MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy which surfaced recently on social media platforms has created ripples in the political circles of the district with ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the opposition YSR Congress Party trading charges.

Mr. Sridhar Reddy accused the YSRCP of hatching a conspiracy to kill him. “Not me, even my six-year-old grandson will not be cowed down by such threats,”, he told the media.

The three-time MLA is known for bringing developmental works to the tune of ₹300 crore to the Constituency during this tenure. Observers feel that his constant presence in the public domain could be a reason for the “rowdy-sheeters in the video making him a soft target”.

This is not the first threat against Mr. Sridhar Reddy. “After I announced to quit the YSRCP when it was at its political crest, I received several phone calls warning me of ‘dire consequences’, but I persisted,” he told The Hindu.

However, the YSRCP ridiculed the MLA’s accusations and rubbished them as a ‘political stunt’. When contacted by this newspaper, YSRCP Nellore District president and former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy rubbished the charge as ‘flimsy’ and said that his party had better priorities than focussing on a legislator.

“Mr. Sridhar Reddy is clearly on the backfoot over his parole request to rowdy-sheeter Srikanth. This is a cheap drama to get into the good books of his political bosses,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police have not registered any case. Superintendent of Police (Nellore) G. Krishnakanth said that no case had yet been registered on the issue, but confirmed to have picked up five persons in the video for questioning. Expressing displeasure over the police not alerting him even three days after the video came to their notice, Mr. Sridhar Reddy wanted the department to find out who had paid the ‘Supari’ for his elimination.