Maverick online journalist Teenmar Mallanna (Chintapandu Ravi) today joined the BJP in the presence of the Telangana state in-charge of the party Tarun Chug and Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in New Delhi.
Chug welcomed Mallanna into the party by draping the party flag around him.
Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay said that Mallanna had won the hearts of the people of the state with his continuous grilling of the state government, and that he (Sanjay) was happy that such a good journalist was joining the BJP.
Terming Mallanna a true Telangana activist, he pointed out that the "feudal" Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had foisted several non-bailable cases against Mallanna as the journalist had declared a war against the CM's corruption, but that Mallanna was unrelenting despite being sent to jail. He added that Mallanna was not joining the BJP for political reasons, but to continue his fight against the CM's rule.
Chug too praised Mallanna for fighting against KCR's government with just his pen. He said that lakhs of people were following the YouTube channel of Mallanna, and pointed out that Mallanna had secured 1.4 lakh votes in the Graduate's constituency MLC elections as an independent candidate.
MP Dharmapuri Arvind and other BJP leaders were also present.