YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s strategy of fielding OBCs and minorities in key assembly and parliamentary constituencies seems to have upset prominent Reddys leaders of the party, at least in Ongole and Prakasam districts.
While former minister and Ongole MP Balineni Srinivas Reddy continues to be sulking for not being taken into confidence in the selection of candidates in Prakasam district, at least four to five Reddys in the district and adjacent Nellore are getting ready to call it quits to the party.
According to latest reports, Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who had been a staunch loyalist of Jagan and named as the YSRCP candidate for Nellore Lok Sabha seat, is all set to quit the party.
Vemireddy had left for Dubai the day before Jagan came to New Delhi on Saturday. He had switched off his phones and was not available either to Jagan or other senior party leaders.
Obviously, he was upset with Jagan for giving the party ticket for Nellore (city) seat to Mohd Khaleel, deputy Mayor of Nellore corporation.
Khaleel is a close associate of former minister P Anil Kumar Yadav, who is presently representing Nellore (city) constituency, whom Vemireddy has been opposing for a long time. Anil has been shifted to Narsaraopet Lok Sabha seat.
Vemireddy, who was lobbying for his wife Vemireddy Prashanti for Nellore (city) seat, is now sulking.
He is learnt to have told his followers and friends that there is no question of continuing in the party, as Jagan did not acknowledge his contribution to the party financially and in terms of party activities.
“Vemireddy is likely to return to India in a day or two. The YSRCP leadership is trying to contact him and pacify him, but he is not interested in continuing in the party,” sources said.
If Vemireddy quits, many other Reddys in the two districts might also quit the party, sources said.
While Udayagiri MLA Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and Nellore (rural) MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy already quit the party to join the TDP, Vemireddy’s trusted colleague and present MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy is also likely to quit the YSRCP, though he was named as the party candidate for Nellor (rural) seat.
In Prakasam, another YSRCP MLA from Kandukuru, Manukota Maheedhar Reddy is also all set to say good-bye to the party. Sitting Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, who has lost the trust of Jagan is also getting ready to quit the party.
With so many Reddys deserting the party, it is expected to have huge impact on the party prospects in the two districts, analysts say.