The suspension of YSR Congress party MLA from the Udayagiri constituency, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, on charges of cross-voting for the Telugu Desam Party candidate in the MLC elections, triggered an uproar in Nellore politics.
The suspension led to talk that the YSRC leadership has antagonized the Mekapati family and also the family of the present Nellore MP, Adala Prabhakar Reddy.
Chandrasekhar Reddy is the brother of former MP and senior leader Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy. His daughter, Adala Lakshmi Rachana Reddy, is the daughter-in-law of Adala Prabhakar Reddy's family. She is married to Adala Vamsidhar Reddy, nephew of Prabhakar Reddy.
Naturally, Chandrasekhar Reddy’s suspension from the party on charges of taking bribes from TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu is expected to trigger unrest in the Mekapati family.
There were reports in a section of the media that Rajamohan Reddy's younger son, Mekapati Vikram Reddy, who recently won the Atmakur by-election, might also quit the party. Similar discontent is said to be brewing in the Adala family.
But on Monday, the Mekapati family set aside all such speculations. Rajamohan Reddy said he was indebted to YSRC president and chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for all the help his family received. He even went to the extent of describing Jagan as next to his deceased son Gautam Reddy.
At the same time, Vikram Reddy also clarified that there was no question of deserting the YSRC.
“Everybody knows the relationship between Mekapati and YSR families. And Jagan has done a lot of favors to Mekapati family. So, all such talk of us quitting the party is utter nonsense,” Vikram Reddy said.
Even Adala is understood to have given a similar clarification. He is likely to be fielded from the Nellore (rural) assembly constituency in the next assembly elections, in place of Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy.
So, only Chandrasekhar Reddy is isolated with no support from other Mekapati members. It remains to be seen which way his daughter will tilt.