North Andhra YSRCP biggies vie for the ministerial pie, work to pull down others

The YSRCP in North Andhra is perhaps the best example of leaders working at cross purposes. Each leader is trying to pull down the othes. While everyone is yearning for a berth in the cabinet, each one is also trying to ensure that the other does not get a ministerial post.

While there are rumours that Avanthi Srinivas, the Bheemili MLA, would be shown the door in the upcoming cabinet rejig, at least four names are doing rounds as the possible entrants into the cabinet. The names in circulation are Gudivada Amarnath, Karanm Dharmasri, Golla Babu Rao and B Mutyala Naidu. Each is said to be trying to ensure that the other does not become a minister.

Despite external bonhomie B Mutyala Naidu is a senior MLA. He and Chodavaram MLA Karanam Dharmasri are engaged in a cold war. While Naidu is from the Koppula Velama community, Dharma Sri is from the Turpu Kapu community. Both are seniors and both want to become MLA. Both are indirectly attacking one another on the Govada Sugar factory issue. Similarly, Mutyala Naidu is silent when the TDP is targeting Chodavaram MLA Dharma Sri on the issue of rampant ganja cultivation in the constituency. He is trying to portray this as a possible negative point for Dharma Sri.

Anakapalli MLA Gudivada Amarnath is from the Kapu community and is considered quite close toys Jagan. Recently, Kapu leaders from the district have openly demanded that Amarnath should be made a minister from Kapu quota. Amarnath is apprehensive that the Kapu leaders were being manipulated to work against him. He feels that by bracketing him into the Kapu group, someone is trying to hit his chances of becoming a minister.

Another senior MLA Golla Babu Rao is from the Dalit community. He is a three-time MLA and is working hard to lobby for a post in the cabinet. Babu Rao is the only Dalit aspirant from North Andhra and that could work in his favour, say sources. Babu Rao is so particular to become a minister that he has turned down the offer of becoming a TTD board member. He is confident that his case is strong and he could become a minister.