Trouble brews in YSRC over tickets 

It is learnt that Alla Ramakrishna Reddy himself told Jagan some time back that he is not interested in contesting the 2019 elections.
YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (EPS| P Ravindra Babu)
YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (EPS| P Ravindra Babu)

VIJAYAWADA:  Trouble seems to be brewing in the YSR Congress party well ahead of the announcement of the party tickets. Incidentally, the first sign of dissidence is coming from two leaders who are closely associated with party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Though Jagan announced that he will announce the party candidates soon after the release of election schedule, the talks on denial of tickets have put some of the leaders on their toes. 

According to party sources, close relative of Jagan and former MP from Ongole YV Subba Reddy and sitting Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy are said to be unhappy over the party’s reported plans to deny them tickets from the respective seats. Subba Reddy was reportedly told by the party leadership that he has to make way for Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, presently a TDP MLC. 

Subba Reddy has long-standing differences with another YSRC leader Balineni Srinivas Reddy, who happens to be his close relative, and this has reportedly led to the party losing at least four Assembly seats in the 2014 elections in Ongole district. The differences still persist and initially the YSRC leadership is said to have decided to keep both the leaders out of the electoral fray. Later, the party decided to field Balineni Srinivas Reddy once again from the Ongole Assembly seat where he lost in the 2014 polls. However, Subba Reddy was given indications that he had to make way for Magunta, sources said, adding that  he  was assured of a Rajya Sabha nomination in future.

When asked about the same (fielding Magunta from Ongole Lok Sabha seat) recently, a visually-angry Subba Reddy retorted saying how can a leader who lost elections from other party win on a YSRC ticket and asserted that he would be the party’s candidate for the seat in the 2019 elections. Subba Reddy had even skipped the recent housewarming function of Jagan at Tadepalli. By fielding Magunta, the YSRC leadership thinks that the TDP will have to search for another strong candidate for the Lok Sabha segment. “Magunta contesting the Lok Sabha election will bolster the prospects of the party MLA candidates in at least four Assembly segments,’’ a party leader said.

It is learnt that Alla Ramakrishna Reddy himself told Jagan some time back that he is not interested in contesting the 2019 elections. However, recently he appealed to Jagan to give him his sitting seat, but Jagan has reportedly denied the same. Jagan is said to be favouring a BC candidate from the seat. 
Ramakrishna Reddy is the one who had fought several cases against the State government. The more recent one is the handing over of the case relate to the attack on Jagan at Vizag airport to the NIA.

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