The surprising comments made by Gannavaram legislator and YSR Congress party leader Vallabhaneni Vamsi before the media on Sunday night, speaking positively about Telugu Desam Party has led to a curious debate in the political circles.
Vamsi told the reporters that he had never called TDP a useless party nor had he ever run it down.
“The TDP is great party, established by legendary actor and popular leader N T Rama Rao. The party has followed social justice and several leaders from oppressed and weaker sections got political empowerment during the TDP regime,” he said.
The MLA, who had represented the TDP in the state assembly from Gannavaram constituency twice, defected to the YSR Congress party soon after winning the seat in 2019.
Since then, he had been abusing the TDP, its president N Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh, using choicest words.
He even triggered a controversy by making objectionable remarks against Naidu’s wife Nara Bhuvaneshwari that led to Naidu weeping before the media. However, Vamsi withdrew his words later.
So, when he made positive statement on the TDP, it evoked a lot of surprise.
“I have only said the TDP has deviated from its path after Lokesh took the party reins. Otherwise, I have never made any abusive comments against the party,” he said.
Within no time, a video of Vamsi’s comments was made viral by the TDP in the social media and the pro-TDP media also highlighted the same.
Needless to say, Vamsi’s comments would give strong weapons to his detractors within the YSRC in Gannavaram to attack him.
The local YSRC leaders – Dutta Ramachandra Rao and Yarlagadda Venkat Rao have been strongly resisting his domination in the party and the constituency.
Though his infighting with the local YSRC leaders is an open secret, one wonders why Vamsi has made such positive remarks on the TDP at this stage when his detractors have lodged a complaint with the YSRC top leadership against Vamsi and made it clear that there is no question of working with him.
They are bringing pressure on the high command to remove Vamsi as the YSRC in-charge of Gannavaram. His positive comments on TDP will definitely endorse their demand. They are alleging that Vamsi is planning to return to the TDP fold.
It is unlikely that Vamsi will come back to the TDP, as the differences have gone too far ahead. But why he has gone so soft on the party still remains a suspense.