KAKINADA: At least three sitting YSRC MLAs from the erstwhile undivided East Godavari district are likely to switch loyalties as the party leadership is unlikely to retain them in the ensuing elections. The YSRC is said to be planning to appoint a new constituency in charge for Jaggampeta, Pithapuram and Prathipadu. Incidentally, all the three sitting MLAs belong to the Kapu community.
Jaggampeta MLA Jyothula Chantibabu is likely to join the TDP in the presence of party supremo Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the first week of January. He is said to be making moves to get the green signal from the TDP. The YSRC leadership has appointed former MLA Thota Narasimham as in charge of Jaggampeta as it felt that the sitting MLA’s ‘performance’ is not up to the mark.
However, the legislator is said to be unhappy as he has not been given an audience by the top leadership. The party is also of the view that Narasimham, a strong Kapu leader, is a better choice than Chantibabu. It is learnt that former MLA and senior leader Jyothula Nehru, against whom Chantibabu won in the 2019 elections, has agreed to his former rival’s admission into the TDP.
Pithapuram MLA Pendem Dorababu is likely to join the Jana Sena Party. Dorababu wants the JSP leadership to allot the Kakinada rural seat to his son-in-law Pilla Sridhar, who was the former JSP in charge of Pithapuram.
Prathipadu MLA Parvatha Purnachandra Prasad, who is said to be in a dilemma after the appointment of Parvatha Janaki Devi as the YSRC in charge of the constituency, is likely to join the TDP. The YSRC leadership has changed the Prathipadu constituency in charge after getting reports that the sitting MLA had failed to maintain good rapport with former MLA Varupula Subba Rao, who has a considerable hold on the electorate, sources said.