Hyderabad: Former Judge K Ravinder Reddy, who was in the headlines nationally for quitting the post just hours after delivering the verdict in the Mecca blast case, has recently expressed his desire to join the BJP party by calling it as ‘patriotic party’ and which is not ruled by a family.

The Telangana State headquarters was abuzz with the welcome ceremony for him with banners everywhere at the office, welcoming him to join the party. The judge was supposed to be included into the party on Thursday but did not do so. Mr. Reddy, who was a Judge of the Special anti-terror court, had on April 16 this year acquitted Hindutva Preacher Aseemanand and four others in the case.

On May 18, 2007, a powerful blast went through the devotees offering Friday prayers at the four centuries old mosque and was triggered with the help of a remote control. The blast resulted in the killing of nine people and injuring 58. Mr. Reddy said during his talks with reporters, that he was asked to hold his programme of joining BJP without citing any reason. “Former Union Minister and Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya felicitated me and invited me to join the party. I also expressed my interest to join as I believe it is a party which has national interest. It is the only national-level patriotic party and does not have any family-rule”, he said.

Mr. Reddy also said that he had met BJP President Amit Shah during his visit to the city recently. “Along with me, all my well-wishers, family friends, and advocates came here (party office) to witness my joining the party. But I received a message asking me to keep the programme on hold without any reason being assigned,” Mr. Reddy said. When Mr. Dattatreya was asked about the issue of former judge’s joining the party, Mr. Dattatreya told reporters here on Friday it was just a ‘communication gap’.

“As per the Sampark (contact) and Sahyog (cooperation)programme, I met many prominent people. Retired judge Ravinder Reddy was one among them. He expressed his opinion on all the subjects we discussed. There was a communication gap. There is no other problem (in him joining the party),” he said when asked the reason why the former judicial officer had not joined the party.

Commenting over the news of his joining MIM Supremo Asaduddin Owaisi said on his Twitter account, said “Yes Retired Judge saheb we knew where you were heading and certainly you will be rewarded by Supreme Leader and Assemanand and Co will campaign for you. I hope you lose your deposit.”

Mr. Reddy climbed down the post of Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge by citing personal reasons after the judicial pronouncement in the Mecca Masjid blast case. He was among the 11 subordinate judges, who were suspended by the High Court of Hyderabad in June 2016 for protesting against the appointment of the judges to the courts in Telangana who came from Andhra Pradesh and also to demand the setting up of a separate high court for Telangana. The suspension was later on revoked.

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