ONGOLE: The joining of former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy in Jana Sena Party (JSP) is not going well with the TDP camp and tempers are running high.
Ongole MLA (TDP) Damacharla Janardhana Rao and his followers are strongly opposing Balineni joining JSP, as they were targeted during the past five years. Balineni and Damacharla are arch-rivals. After the defeat, Balineni quit YSRC to join JSP and the NDA appears to be disturbed.
The banners with photos of Pawan Kalyan, Balineni and Damcharla on the eve of the joining has further aggravated the situation. Irritated by the banners, the TDP rank and file tore off the flex banners and even complained to the Ongole Municipal Corporation (OMC) authorities in this regard.
Damacharla recalled past misdeeds of Balineni and his misuse of power. “Whatever he may do, we won’t leave him and will work against him and his son. He harassed me and TDP cadre by registering 33 false cases without even sparing women. It is not all fair. At one point of time, that person (Balineni) announced that he will make TDP disappear from Prakasam district. Now fearing a backlash, he is trying to join JSP. But, we will not spare him,’ the MLA said at a public meeting held in hi native place Turpu Naidupalem recently.
In response, Balineni said he didn’t know who made those flexes with his and MLA photos. “If at all he has any objections, they may remove and we have no objection. I didn’t want to make noise over all these petty issues. I already wrote a letter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and requested to order a thorough probe into all allegations levelled against me and my son,” Balineni said.
“As I suffered a lot in the previous party, I came out and decided to join JSP. I will work hard to further strengthen JSP and will follow Pawan Kalyan’s orders,” he asserted.