Will Jagan suspend Yarlagadda Venkatrao?

YSR Congress chief and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had suspended former minister Kothapalli Subbarayudu last week for announcing that he would contest the next election from Narasapur Assembly constituency.

Subbarayudu has been making open statements against sitting MLA Mudunuri Prasada Raju and announced his candidature for the next election without clearance or assurance from the party leadership. Jagan Mohan Reddy reacted sharply to this announcement and suspended Subbarayudu from the party.

Now, a similar announcement had come from party leader Yarlagadda Venkatrao from Gannavaram in Krishna district. He said he would contest the next election though sitting MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi continues in the party.

Vamsi was elected on TDP but defected to the ruling party two years ago. He was made the YSR Congress Gannavaram constituency in-charge by Jagan Mohan Reddy. Before making him in-charge, Jagan had appointed Venkatrao as the chairman of the Krishna District Cooperative Central Bank.

While there is a sitting MLA with the party, though not elected from the party, Venkatrao’s announcement of his candidature for the next election is same as that of Subbarayudu. It is now to be seen whether Jagan Mohan Reddy would also suspend Venkatrao or excuse him.

It is also a big issue in Gannavaram as the leaders are speaking against the sitting legislator and thus confusing the party cadre, ahead of the 2024 general elections.