VISAKHAPATNAM / RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: In a major blow to the YSRCP, senior leader and former minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao (Avanthi Srinivas) has announced his resignation to the party. He also stepped down as the party incharge of Bheemili Assembly constituency, citing personal reasons in a letter addressed to YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
He also sent a letter to YSRCP North Andhra regional coordinator and Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy, as well as district president Gudivada Amarnath. Srinivas served as the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Youth Advancement between 2019 and 2022 in Jagan’s Cabinet.
Speaking to TNIE, Srinivas said, “I entered politics to serve the public, not for personal gains. However, the results of the 2024 general elections were disheartening.”
Criticising the decision-making process in the YSRCP, he remarked, “The party’s approach resembled British-style governance, where decisions were made elsewhere, and imposed locally. Even as a minister, I lacked the freedom to make political decisions independently. This issue was not limited to me; party leaders and activists were not given the respect or support they deserved, either during our tenure or after the elections.”
Srinivas also expressed his displeasure over the party’s current strategy, stating, “We are being asked to criticise the new government, but I believe it is important to give them at least a year to prove themselves. The State is facing financial challenges, and it is not appropriate to target the new government so soon. Public protests and legal assurances may be easy to promise from Tadepalli, but party leaders and workers have personal lives and families to consider.”
Regarding his future plans, Srinivas revealed that he intends to take a break from politics before deciding on his next step. “I will take some time off from politics. I have been away from my family responsibilities over the past few years, and now I want to focus on them,” he said.
The future course of action for Srinivas remains unclear with speculation surrounding a possible alignment with the NDA or a withdrawal from politics altogether.
‘I want to lead a peaceful life’
Former MLA Grandhi Srinivas has submitted his resignation to the YSRCP primary membership. Speaking to mediapersons at Bhimavaram on Thursday, the former MLA said he sent his resignation letter to the YSRCP office.
He alleged that some henchmen in the YSRC did not allow party loyalists to meet the party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The YSRCP suffered a drubbing in the elections due to the indifference of the henchmen, he observed.
He expressed his satisfaction over the work done for the development of Bhimavaram Assembly constituency as an MLA. “Though I defeated Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan in the Assembly poll from Bhimavaram, I failed to get a berth in Jagan’s Cabinet,” he said.
On his future plans, he said, “I want to lead a peaceful life. Hence, I have taken off from politics. After sometime, I will decide on my future course of action.”