The YSR Congress Party's strategic move to replace numerous sitting MLAs and MPs in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the upcoming polls has led to a series of resignations within the party.
Over the weekend, Machilipatnam MP Balasouri Vallabhaneni resigned from the party amidst speculations that he might be dropped. Sources suggest he is likely to join the Jana Sena Party (JSP) led by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan.
This marks the latest in a series of resignations that have hit the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party, just before the simultaneous polls for the state Assembly and Lok Sabha, scheduled for April-May.
Earlier this month, Kurnool MP S. Sanjeev Kumar also resigned from the party, stepping down from both his MP position and the primary membership of YSRCP. His decision came after the party selected sitting MLA and state minister Gummanur Jayaram as the candidate for the Kurnool Parliament seat.
Alleging a lack of respect for backward classes within the party, Sanjeev Kumar is anticipated to join the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
In addition to the MPs, two MLAs have left the ruling party due to ticket denial. Rayadurgam MLA Kapu Ramchandra Reddy resigned last week, citing betrayal by the party leadership despite his loyalty. Another MLA, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, has declared support for Y. S. Sharmila, who recently merged her YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) with the Congress, likely securing a prominent position.
The trend extends to MLCs as well, with C. Ramachandraiah joining the TDP and Srinivas Varma aligning with the Jana Sena after quitting YSRCP.
The YSRCP's decision to deny tickets to some sitting members has caused a stir within the party, but political analysts see it as a strategic shift. With 151 MLAs in the 175-member Assembly, the party has released three lists for the upcoming polls, denying tickets to 23 sitting MLAs.
This strategic move by the YSRCP appears to be a response to the recent defeat of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in neighboring Telangana, where a majority of sitting MLAs faced defeat despite renomination.
While YSRCP may not be battling voter fatigue, it seems unwilling to take chances. The party is not only dropping sitting MLAs and MPs but also fielding some MPs in Assembly elections and shifting certain MLAs to Lok Sabha constituencies.
The dissent within the YSRCP could benefit the TDP-Jana Sena alliance, and possibly the Congress, which is optimistic about a political revival in the state following recent successes in Karnataka and Telangana.
The entry of Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister, Y.S. Sharmila, into the Congress has sparked optimism among party members. Although her role in the party has not been officially announced, if appointed as the president of the Congress' state unit, Sharmila could attract disgruntled leaders from YSRCP, many of whom were previously associated with the Congress.
For the Congress, this potential shift in alliances could signify a path to recovery after two consecutive election defeats, where the party's vote share dropped to less than two percent. Analysts believe that if the Congress manages to secure some representation in the Assembly and increases its vote share to 10-12 percent, it would be a significant improvement.
Notably, YSRCP is not the only party dealing with dissidence over ticket denials; the TDP has faced similar challenges, especially in the Vijayawada Lok Sabha constituency. The sitting MP Kesneni Srinivas, also known as Nani, left the TDP and joined YSRCP after the party hinted at giving the ticket to his brother Kesineni Srinath, alias Chinni, this time.
(With Agency Inputs)
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