Why are more TDP MLAs not joining the YSRCP? When Chandrababu Naidu was the CM, he had managed to lure 23 MLAs from the YSRCP. Soon after the YSRCP came to power, several TDP MLAs looked toward the YSRCP. Some of them have even joined the YSRCP. A total of four MLAs had left their party to join the YSRCP. But since then, the trickle has completely stopped.

Sources say YS Jagan’s insistence on resigning the MLA post and seeking re-election could be one off-putting factor. Fighting another election would need a lot of money and resources, felt these MLAs. The four who had joined the YSRCP, still continue as the members of the TDP and obey the TDP whip. Thus their joining of the YSRCP is formally not complete. That is where most problems are cropping up.

Since these MLAs are formally not YSRCP members, the YSRCP loyalists are ignoring them. They are not being invited to the party meet and their opinion is not being sought. Their nominees are also being ignored. In Panchayat, MPTC and ZPTC elections, they did not have any say in the selection of the candidate.

All the four MLAs – Vallabhaneni Vamsi in Gannavaram, Maddali Giri in Guntur West, Vasupalli Ganesh in Gannavaram and Karanam Balaram in Chirala are facing the same situation. The worst part is that YS Jagan had given appointments only once or twice. After that, they are unable to meet YS Jagan. So, they are a worried lot. With neither CM nor the party workers giving them any importance, these leaders are confused about their future moves.

Is the ruling YSRCP trying to filch the Kamma vote bank in Krishna district? Is the recent announcement of nominated posts part of the larger game to divide the Kamma social group? Have the appointments been made keeping in view the caste equations in some Kamma-dominated assembly constituencies?

That Kamma community plays a key role in several assembly constituencies in Krishna district. But, the YSRCP could not win the community’s support in the district in 2019. It has just two MLAs from that community. Kodali Nani of Gudivada and Vasanta Krishna Prasad are the only MLAs from the community. Vallabhaneni Vamsi, who won from Gannavaram on TDP ticket is also sailing with the YSRCP, but that’s another story altogether. So, the YSRCP wants to win over the Kamma voters, who are steadfastly with the TDP.

As part of this, the party appears to have focused on Penamaluru and Jaggaiahpet constituencies, which have sizeable population of the community. The Kamma corporation chairperson’s post has been given to Tummala Chandrasekhar, who is from Penamaluru. Similarly, Tanneeru Nageswara Rao of Jaggaiahpet has been made the DCCB chief. In addition, Devineni Nehru has been made the incharge of the Vijayawada East constituency.

But, the big question is whether the community shifts its loyalty? Sources say that much more needs to be done beyond merely giving some posts. But, Jagan camp feels that even if 5 to 10 per cent voters shift their loyalties, this would be a major gamechanger in 2024. These appointments are only the beginning, YSRCP sources say. Much more will follow, they vouch.

Social media is a double-edged sword. Minister Seedini Appala Raju and TDP’s Gouthu Sirisha are now coming to realize this. What started as an election-even war of words on Facebook, is now turning out to be a full-blown battle. Both leaders have filed complaints against one another with the police.

Politically hyper active Palasa had witnessed a key battle in 2019. TDP former minister Gouthu Syamasundar Shivaji’s daughter Sirisha was the TDP candidate against YSRCP’s new-entrant Dr Appala Raju. In the run-up to the election, both began a fight on Facebook. However, after the elections, in which Appalaraju won, the virtual war continued. The respective supporters of both the leaders continued the battle and the war of words soon deteriorated into verbal abuse.

Soon after the defeat, Sirisha shifted to Srikakulam and became slightly inactive. Using this as an advantage, the YSRCP supporters continued to attack her. They began posting comments that were derogatory and demeaning. Left with no option, Sirisha had approached the police with a complaint. Not to be undone, even Appalraju’s supporters lodged complaints with the police. Sirisha has now become active again and has begun attacking the YSRCP and the minister by questioning the irregularities in the implementation of various schemes.

Now, the war of words has spiraled out of control and even the minister is unable to rein in his supporters from posting nasty comments. The leaders of both the parties have filed complaints against one another. Sirisha is now planning to lodge a complaint with the cyber police over abuse and wrongful posts.

Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Sunday demanded that all MPs of the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) resign to step up pressure on the Central government in the current session of Parliament to withdraw privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

Former minister and TDP leader Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy said if the YSRCP MPs in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha resign, then the TDP members would also follow in their footsteps.

He said Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should come to the rescue of one lakh workers of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) as it was his basic duty in his capacity as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

He said it was in the interest of VSP workers and people that TDP national president and leader of opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu offered to follow Jagan Mohan Reddy. The CM should have responded positively to the gesture made by the opposition leader in a respectful manner.

Naidu had on Saturday asked Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy to join the struggle and lead it from the front.

Extending his party’s complete support to the ‘Save Vizag Steel’ agitation, Naidu reiterated that his party’s elected representatives would be ready to resign from their posts for the sake of the steel plant.

Satyanarayana Murthy said the general feeling among the people is that the only goal of YSRCP MPs is to have their rebel MP Raghurama Raju disqualified. Jagan Reddy should realise that the present burning issue in Andhra Pradesh is to prevent the privatisation of steel plant and to safeguard the interests of the workers, he said.

He recalled that Jagan Reddy had stated during the elections that he would bend the necks of the central leaders if he was given 25 MPs. If Jagan takes over leadership of the steel plant agitation, then the AP MPs can bring Parliament to a standstill till the privatisation move was withdrawn, Murthy said.

The TDP leader termed as ‘reckless’ the statement by Jagan Reddy’s advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy that if TDP MPs want to resign they can do so. “Instead of giving a plan to stop the Steel Plant privatisation, Sajjala is only diverting the public attention by making unwarranted comments against the appeal of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu. It is clear how the chief minister, his advisor and his Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Sai Reddy are not bothered about the steel plant at all,” said Satyanarayana Murthy.

The TDP said that the YSRCP is ruthlessly betraying the aspirations of over 38 villages that contributed their thousands of acres of land for the VSP. He alleged that YSRCP leaders were only interested in making quick and easy money through sand, land, liquor and cement mafia but not in the struggles of the workers and common people.

He urged the people to realise whether the TDP or the YSRCP had the credibility when it came to the fight for saving the steel plant. He pointed out that Chandrababu Naidu immediately rushed to the protest camp and extended his party’s overall support to the agitating workers whereas, Jagan Reddy was playing all sorts of discreditable dramas without giving any hope to the steel plant workers on the privatisation issue.