The ruling YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh led by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has meticulously moving its pawns to defeat Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu in Kuppam assembly constituency in Chittoor district in the next assembly elections.
Simultaneously, the ruling party is working out a strategy to defeat Naidu’s son and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh in Mangalagiri assembly constituency, so that it can put an end the political life of both the father and the son.
For the last one year, Lokesh, who was defeated in the hands of YSRC in the last assembly elections, has been systematically trying to improve his position by regularly touring the constituency, interacting with the people and attending to their issues to win back their confidence.
He has been running Anna Canteens in the rural parts of Mangalagiri, besides conducting health camps to attract the people. Analysts say he has been able to regain his lost ground to some extent.
Apparently realising that the graph of Lokesh is steadily going up and that of sitting YSRC MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy is going down gradually, the YSRC leadership has stepped in and started working out a counter-strategy.
As part of the strategy, it is learnt to have managed senior TDP leader Ganji Chiranjeevi, a prominent leader from weavers’ community, which is dominant in Mangalagiri.
On Wednesday, Chiranjeevi resigned from the TDP saying he has not been able to withstand backstabbing in the party.
Chiranjeevi, who lost to Ramakrishna Reddy in 2014 assembly elections, did not get the TDP ticket again in 2019, as Lokesh himself had decided to fight the elections from Mangalagiri. Chiranjeevi, however, remained loyal to the party and was made official spokesperson of the party.
When he realised that this time, too, he might not get a chance to contest the elections from Managalagiri, Chiranjeevi is feeling disappointed. Cashing in on his disgruntlement, the YSRC is said to be luring him into the party.
Accordingly, Chiranjeevi held a press conference and announced that he was resigning from the party post and its primary membership.
While thanking the TDP leadership for giving him an opportunity to contest the assembly elections in 2014, he said he was facing humiliating conditions in the party and was completely suppressed politically.
It is learnt he has got an assurance from YSRC leadership that he would be given the party ticket from Mangalagiri in the next assembly elections. Since he hails from Padmashali community, a BC, it would fetch him a lot of political mileage.
While it will be a setback for sitting MLA Ramakrishna Reddy, it is expected to be a plus point for the YSRC as Chiranjeevi can give a tough fight to Lokesh in the next elections.
