VIJAYAWADA: Ongole MLA and former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy refused to take charge as YSRC regional coordinator of Chittoor, Nellore and Kadapa, days after resigning from the coveted post. Srinivasa Reddy poured out his woes as he called on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the latter’s camp office in Tadepalli on Tuesday.
Sources said the senior YSRC leader requested the CM that he would like to restrict himself to the Ongole Assembly constituency or at the most to the undivided Prakasam district. It is learnt that Balineni explained to the CM that he was unable to do justice to the post amid serious dissidence gripping the party. He informed Jagan that he had to deal with three key districts, including Nellore, where at least three MLAs had raised the banner of revolt.
Though the CM tried to persuade the legislator to continue with the post by focusing on strengthening the party, the latter politely refused to budge. Sources added Jagan assured the senior leader he would get back his prominence in the party.
Assuaging his fear of being denied a ticket from the Ongole Assembly seat for the 2024 polls, the CM promised the leader that he would be retained as the candidate from the constituency.
Balineni ‘takes’ series of incidents to CM’s notice
This came amid reports of the party leadership planning to give the ticket to a woman candidate.
Balineni, who remained incommunicado for the past few days, even vented out his dissatisfaction to party general secretary and government advisor (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy.
He is reported to have brought up a series of incidents where he perceived his prominence was ignored in State politics.
The senior leader, who had been a member of the YS Rajasekhara Reddy cabinet, was upset with the party leadership after the Chief Minister decided to drop him from the cabinet during the current term. Balineni reportedly felt more humiliated after another leader from the district, Audimulapu Suresh who happened to be much junior to him in politics, was retained. In an effort to placate the disgruntled leader, the party leadership gave him the prominent post of regional coordinator of three key districts, however, the move failed to break the ice.
The Ongole MLA said he was humiliated after police asked him to go on foot to the helipad when the Chief Minister visited Markapur as his name did not figure in the list of VIPs. He is said to be of the view that some leaders were responsible for the turnaround of events and reportedly told the same to Jagan during his Tuesday meeting, which lasted for nearly 40 minutes.
ONGOLE TICKET ASSURED
During the 40-minute meet, Jagan assured Balineni that he would be given a ticket for Ongole in 2024 polls