Kurnool, March 2 (IANS); Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy and his family members on Saturday joined Andhra Pradesh's ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Suryaprakash Reddy, son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, his wife Kotla Sujatamma and their son Kotla Raghavendra Reddy joined the TDP in the presence of Chief Minister and TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy was also present to welcome his long-time political rival into the TDP.

TDP leaders hope that Kotla family will strengthen the party in Kurnool district ahead of the ensuring elections to the state Assembly and the Lok Sabha.

A three-time Lok Sabha member from Kurnool, Suryaprakash Reddy served as Minister of State for Railways in the UPA government in 2012-14.

He is keen to contest again from Kurnool Lok Sabha seat while his wife is an aspirant for party ticket from Done or Aluru Assembly constituencies. Naidu has also reportedly agreed to make Suryaprakash Reddy's son a member of the Legislative Council.