VISAKHAPATNAM:The discontent among YSR Congress leaders over the induction of former PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana into the party Sunday, seems to be far from over. While Bobbili MLA RV Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao and three other MLAs have expressed their displeasure over the issue to party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the former Congress leader is all set to face a tumultuous future, what with other YSRC senior leaders reportedly attempting to shut all doors of political growth for Satyanarayana in north Coastal Andhra region.
The entry of Botcha Satyanarayana into YSRC has not gone down well many YSRC leaders in the region. However, except for Bobbili MLA RV Sujay Krishna Ranga Rao and his close MLAs, others have kept tight-lipped after the party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy left others in no doubt that he was keen on joining hands with Satyanarayana who once enjoyed great hold over the region during the regime of former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. “A majority of the YSRC leaders have migrated from Congress party and most of them suffered, directly or indirectly, due to Botcha Satyanarayana and his family members. None of them want to work with him again,” said a YSRC leader from Vizianagaram district.
Even as Satyanarayana and family were offered the traditional ‘Kanduvas’ by the YSRC president in Hyderabad Sunday marking their entry into the party, the Bobbili MLA reportedly held discussions with his close aides on the future course of action. Without getting into details, he told reporters that all issues will be discussed with Jagan Mohan Reddy who would take a final call. However, Ranga Rao’s followers confirmed that their leader was contemplating all options before him including quitting YSR Congress as working with Botcha Satyanarayana would be impossible.
On the other hand, Satyanarayana seems to have been caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Days after he committed to join YSRC eyeing the MLC seat for local bodies constituency, the decision of the Election Commission of India to conduct the election in Visakhapatnam district as per the double ballot method for the two seats came as a rude shock for him. With Telugu Desam Party making all out attempts to field two candidates, Satyanarayana seems to be on the losing end. “TDP has enough majority to get both its candidates win the election, if the election is held as per the double ballot method. This would spell the doom of the political career for Satyanarayana even before he starts it afresh in YSRC,” said a TDP senior leader from Visakhapatnam.
Sources close to the Botcha family informed that Satyanarayana was not keen on contesting the elections if he had to lose it as it would not only put an end to his political career but also cause severe embarrassment to party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. “Though the top leadership has recently represented to the Election Commission of India to rethink on its decision and adopt single ballot method, the leaders in the region does not want it to happen,” sources said.
Further, some YSRC senior leaders from all three districts are learnt to have been contemplating on sidelining Satyanarayana from the initial stages itself and ensure that none of his family members get a victory.
“If Satyanarayana decides against contesting MLC elections, he might seek some top position in the party or wait for his turn to grab a key post. It would be a cakewalk for him, particularly after the exit of leaders like Konthala Ramakrishna, and with Dharmana Prasada Rao restricting himself to Srikakulam affairs. Hence, some leaders are making attempts behind the curtains to cut short his influence. But one has to see to what extent Jagan Mohan Reddy entertains them,” sources said.