Former TDP MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi joins YSRCP - The HinduUpdated - October 22, 2026 08:44 pm IST - SRIKAKULAM:Former Srikakulam MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi joins the YSRCP in the presence of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Tadepalli, in Vijayawada on Thursday. | Photo Credit: YSRCPFormer TDP MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi joined the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in the presence of party president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Tadepalli near Vijayawada on Thursday.Ms Lakshmi Devi served as the legislator of Srikakulam from 2014 to 2019, but was not given a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ticket for the 2024 general elections.Former minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and YSRCP-Srikakulam district president Dharmana Krishna Das were present when she joined the party.The YSRCP has reportedly assured her of a mayoral ticket to contest the Srikakulam Municipal Corporation elections, which are to be held in a couple of months.The election was not scheduled along with other civic bodies due to legal tangles.Mr. Prasada Rao said that Ms. Lakshmi Devi and her late husband, former minister Gunda Appala Surayanarayana, had served the district for 40 years. He expressed hope that her family’s support would strengthen the party in the district.Published - October 22, 2026 08:43 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }