Former Khammam Lok Sabha member Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy met YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy in Vijayawada on Thursday.
Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy was elected as MP from Khammam Lok Sabha seat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls on YSRCP ticket. However, he subsequently joined TRS in May 2016 after Jagan decided to close party in Telangana to focus on Andhra politics. It is widely believed in political circles that Srinivas Reddy joined TRS on the advice of Jagan.
However, TRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao sidelined Ponguleti after joining TRS. He was not given TRS ticket to contest 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Instead, KCR gave Khammam Lok Sabha ticket to Nama Nageshwar Rao, who joined from TDP just before 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
KCR promised Rajya Sabha ticket to Ponguleti later. It was not fulfilled. KCR later promised MLC ticket to Ponguleti which too was not fulfilled. With this Ponguleti is angry at KCR and staying away from party activities.
Against this backdrop, Ponguleti meeting Jagan fuelled political speculations. Rumours are rife that Ponguleti requested Jagan to revive YSRCP in Telangana and he is ready to contest on YSRCP ticket again from Khammam Lok Sabha seat in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
But since Jagan’s sister Sharmila already launched her political party in Telangana with the name YSRTP, it remains to be seen whether Jagan agrees to launch YSRCP in Telangana.
Amid reports that Sharmila is planning to launch her party in AP anytime and if that happens, Jagan may also think of launching YSRCP in Telangana in future.
