ONGOLE: After the joining of former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, the Jana Sena Party rank and file in Ongole seems to have plunged into confusion about in which direction the party is moving ahead. The political developments in the Prakasam district over the last few days have raised doubts regarding the formation of a new faction in the party.
Though the former minister joined the JSP, which is in alliance with the TDP and the BJP, leaders of the coalition are of the view that the NDA government should not spare Balineni for his alleged involvement in large-scale corruption and other illegal activities during the previous YSRC regime.
In a retort to the criticism of the TDP MLA and other leaders, Balineni said, “I would not compromise with anybody. Our leader Pawan Kalyan entered politics stating that he would question all wrongdoers. I will also follow the same.” The retort indicates that the coalition leaders and Balineni group may not remain silent in the coming days. District JSP president Shaik Riyaz and the party founder member Rayapati Aruna are leading the Jana Sena activities in Prakasam.
Riyaz strongly supported the alliance with the TDP and the BJP in the elections, and became very close to TDP leaders, including MLA Damacharla Janardhana Rao, while Aruna is strictly abiding by the decisions taken by the JSP leadership on various issues.
After Balineni’s entry, the political equations in the party are likely to change in the coalition as Riyaz openly opposed him, while Aruna welcomed the former minister into the JSP fold as it will help the party strengthen its base in Prakasam.
On the other hand, Damacharla strongly opposed the joining of Balineni and warned him that the NDA government would not spare him for his misdeeds during the previous regime. This led to a slugfest between the groups of the MLA and the former minister.
With all these developments, the JSP rank and file seems to be in a dilemma. “We are unable to assess and analyse what is going on, and how things will change in the coming days. One way we believe that Balineni’s entry will strengthen the JSP in Prakasam. But we have our own doubts pertaining to the political gains as Balineni and Damacharla, who are arch rivals, are now coalition partners. We have to wait and see to get our doubts cleared,” observed a JSP activist.
