YSR Congress party MP from Eluru parliamentary constituency Kotagiri Sridhar is normally a very low-profile and unassuming leader.
He is hardly visible and heard in the media. He has also not been seen in any of the YSRC parliamentary panels and keeps away from all controversies.
So, when such a low-profile YSRC MP made an off-the-cuff comment at Tirupati on Tuesday, he has come under fire from his own party leaders.
When asked about the YSRC’s support to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections, Sridhar said there was no surprise in it.
“There is nothing to hide about it. The YSRC has been supporting the BJP for the last three years. So, it is no surprise,” he said.
His comment was picked up by the Communist Party of India leader K Ramakrishna, who accused the YSRC of hand in glove with BJP, obviously because to avoid CBI cases against party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Embarrassed by this, the YSRC leaders have started attacking Sridhar.
“There is no need to give importance to the comments of Kotagiri Sridhar. There is nothing wrong in the state government maintaining cordial relations with the Centre,” YSRC leader and former minister Vellampalli Srinivas.
He said Jagan was not interested in political and personal interests but was bothered about state interests.
“What is wrong in maintaining friendly relations with the BJP government with the Centre to get adequate funds and completion of Polavaram project?” he asked.
Even senior YSRC leader and advisor to the state government Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy clarified that the YSRC has no political attachment with the BJP.
“Both are different parties and have different philosophies. The YSRC has not supported any of the bills proposed by the BJP at the Centre,” he said.
At the same time, BJP senior leader and MP G V L Narasimha Rao said the BJP was planning to grow as an alternative to the YSRC in the state.
“We are going to prove our strength in the state,” he said.
But, a section of YSRC leaders defend Sridhar’s remarks.
“It is a known fact that the BJP national leadership is treating YSRC as a friendly party. That is what he has said. He did not talk about YSRC-BJP alliance in the elections,” a YSRC leader said.