Season for political switchovers: Kesineni, Galla, Gorantla, Sanjeev join bandwagon

AMRAVATI: It’s a season for political switchovers from one party to another in Andhra Pradesh, come election time.

Already several MLAs who were denied tickets by the YSR Congress are either looking at the TDP or have already joined the party.

While YSRCP rejects are being entertained by the TDP, what position it would take towards those nursing their respective constituencies from within for years is not known. Whoever the TDP is rejecting renomination are attracted towards the YSR Congress.

As anticipated senior Telugu Desam Party leader and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Nani met Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at his camp office in Tadepalli on Wednesday. Nani expressed his willingness to join the YSRCP and work in any position offered by the party.

Nani was accompanied by former MLA Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao, YSRCP regional coordinator, and MP Ayodhyaram Reddy and Devineni Avinash.

Later speaking to media, he said that he would first send his resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker and then to TDP Chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu. “I met YS Jagan today and he invited me to the party fold. I told him that I am ready to take up any responsibility given to me by the party,” Nani said.

Attributing his unceremonious exit from the yellow party to the ill-treatment meted out by Chandrababu Naidu and his son Nara Lokesh, the Vijayawada MP said that TDP-JSP combine would not get more than 40 seats in the ensuing Assembly elections in the State.

“In what status does Nara Lokesh organised the Yuvagalam pada yatra. He lost the Mangalagiri election whereas I am a two-time MP. He lost elections despite of support of the party machinery and infrastructure. Whereas I lost Rs 2,000 crore worth property and business for the sake of TDP,” Nani rued.

Calling Chandrababu Naidu a diabolical politician, Nani said that he liked the way YS Jagan Mohan Reddy implemented social welfare schemes. Going by the comment made by Nani that more than 60 percent of the TDP cadre in the Kamma-dominated NTR district would leave the party fold, the name of TDP Guntur MP and industrialist Galla Jayadev is also making circles.

It is said that he might be offered the Guntur MP seat by the YSRCP. Galla along with Nani gave a miss to the Nara Lokesh Yuvagalam when the Yatra entered coastal AP from Rayalseema. The absence of MPs from Guntur and Vijayawada made headlines. Jayadev also recently declared that he would quit politics and concentrate more on business.

Meanwhile, cricketer Ambati Rayudu who quit the YSRCP said to have decided to join the Jana Sena Party and met JSP chief Pawan Kalyan. The grapevine says that he wanted the Guntur MP seat. However, TDP might not be willing to leave the important seat to its alliance partner JSP.

The seitcho of leaders is not limited to the TDP alone, on Wednesday YSRCP’s Kurnool MP Sanjeev Kumar declared that he will be quitting the party and the post of MP. He was upset after the party removed him from the post of Lok Sabha constituency in-charge. Speaking to media in Vijayawada he said he has not yet decided on his next move.

Meanwhile, Penamaluru YSRCP MLA Kolusu ParthasaraKthy who was denied a ticket for the ensuing elections, is said to have made up his mind to join the TDP. Sources close to him said that he will be joining TDP in the presence of Chandrababu Naidu on January 18, 2024, at the ‘Ra Kadaliraa’ public meeting in Gudivada.

Hindupuram YSRCP MP Gorantla Madhav who was denied a ticket by the YSRCP and tried to seek an MLA ticket, is looking for greener pastures. Madhav who has been waiting for an audience with the Chief Minister for days said to have expressed his displeasure over the turn of events. Even after meeting Jagan, he did not get any assurance regarding any MLA ticket.

With the party deciding to change at least 40 percent of the sitting candidates, and ready to declare the third list, many more ruling party MLAs might join the bandwagon in the coming days.

Ambati Rayudu, cricketer turned politician, joined the YSR Congress a fortnight ago and upon denial of Guntur Lok Sabha seat to him, he resigned from the party within 10 days. He had announced that he would represent Mumbai Indians in International League T20 matches in Dubai. However, he portrayed himself as a political turncoat even before he had evolved into a full fledged politician. He went and met Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan and reportedly secured an assurance from the latter for Guntur Lok Sabha ticket.

Interestingly, sitting TDP MP Galla Jayadev is not likely to contest again on behalf of the TDP. Speculation is agog that he may join the YSR Congress and secure Guntur Lok Sabha seat, while YS Jagan reportedly hinted at Narasaraopet MP Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu to contest from Guntur Lok Sabha seat. But, he is said to be seeking Narasaraopet Lok Sabha seat to go to people for a renewed mandate.

Against this background, if Jayadev contests on behalf of the YSR Congress in Guntur Lok Sabha seat, who would the TDP candidate becomes a question.

Since Jana Sena is in a poll alliance with the TDP, Ambati Rayudu would stand a chance provided the TDP yields ground there. But, it is very unlikely as the TDP won the Guntur Lok Sabha seat twice in the truncated Andhra Pradesh.

In fact, out of the 25 MP seats in the State, the TDP won only three of whom Kesineni Nani has already quit the party and Jayadev is likely, leaving Kinjarapu Ramamohan Naidu of Srikakulam who might be fielded again by the TDP.

These developments have been hotting up the political weather in the caste-sensitive Andhra Pradesh.