Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu
GUNTUR : With battle lines drawn for the ballot war, the political heat has intensified in Palnadu region as both the ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP are determined to win Narasaraopet Lok Sabha seat at all costs.
As part of its emphasis on social justice and political empowerment of BCs the YSRC leadership had asked sitting MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu to contest from Guntur Lok Sabha seat, to which he openly refused. This eventually led to his resignation as an MP and from the YSRC primary membership.
As no BC candidate has been elected from the key constituency, dominated by upper castes, the party leadership has appointed Nellore City MLA P Anil Kumar Yadav as incharge of Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency. However, YSRC MLAs of all seven constituencies in Palnadu, who once supported Sri Krishna Devarayalu unanimously and tried to convince the party leadership to give him the ticket again, are not at all backing off from making serious comments against him now.
Describing himself as Jagan’s true soldier, Anil Kumar has intensified his campaign with the coordination of all YSRC MLAs and party leaders in Palnadu. He is planning to tour all the villages in the Lok Sabha constituency as part of his election campaign. Despite the non-local tag, Anil Kumar has been making every effort to retain the Lok Sabha seat and ensure the clean sweep of all the seven Assembly segments.
The huge response he is receiving has boosted the morale of the YSRC cadre and highlighted the social justice concept, which is vital, especially when one of the strong BC leaders MLC Janga Krishnamurthy is all set to jump ship, opined a YSRC leader.
Meanwhile, after Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy’s return to the YSRC fold, two months after his resignation, news of Sri Krishna Devarayalu also planning to do so and waiting for Chief Minister’s YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s appointment spread like wildfire in the constituency.
However, he has clarified that he has no such plans through his social media account. He is likely to join the TDP by the end of this month and get the party ticket to contest from Narasaraopet Lok Sabha seat.
With the YSRC steadfast in retaining the Lok Sabha seat for the second time, and the TDP is desperate to regain its lost glory, politics in Palnadu is going to be more interesting, opined a political analyst.