The Jana Sena Party activists and followers of power star Pawan Kalyan are generally unhappy over his hasty announcement over alliance with the Telugu Desam Party led by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, without discussing the repercussions within the party.
According to sources, there is an uneasy calm in the Jana Sena, as the party cadre at the field level is not able to mingle freely with the local TDP leaders and cadre. However, they have not openly expressed their concerns yet.
But the Jana Sena Party leaders are not hesitating to revolt if they are forced to work for the TDP leaders against whom they have been fighting in the constituencies for the last few years, just because there is an alliance between the two parties.
Take the case of former minister and senior TDP leader Ponguru Narayana from Nellore. There have been half a dozen criminal cases against him and everybody knows he doesn’t enjoy the people’s support.
Not just the YSR Congress party leaders, but even the Jana Sena Party leaders in Nellore have been waging a battle against Narayana and they have vowed not to allow him to win the seat this time also. Yet, the TDP has declared Narayana as the party candidate from Nellore for 2024 elections.
This has not gone down well with the Jana Sena Party leaders, since the party is entering into an alliance with the TDP. Apparently, Jana Sena Party leadership has conveyed to the party leaders in Nellore that they have to work for Narayana in the coming elections.
Agitated over the decision, Nellore assembly constituency in-charge of Jana Sena Party Kethamreddy Vinod Reddy on Thursday announced resignation from the party, stating that he would not work for Narayana, against whom he had been fighting for the last nine years.
Stating that he had been in politics since 2003 as the Youth Congress leader, Vinod Reddy said he had join Jana Sena Party in 2014 after the Congress lost its base in Andhra Pradesh post bifurcation.
“I was attracted towards Pawan Kalyan’s speeches that he would give priority to the youth,” he said.
He said right from the beginning, he had been working as a loyalist of the Jana Sena Party and expanded the party network in Nellore.
“I contested the 2019 elections from Nellore city on behalf of Jana Sena. Though I lost the seat, I never lost my self-confidence and have been building up the party in the constituency,” he claimed.
Vinod Reddy said he thought his career would have a turnaround if Pawan Kalyan becomes the chief minister.
“But now, they want me to work for Narayana against whom I have been fighting. How can I work for him? I cannot bear this humiliation. Hence, I am resigning from the party,” he said.