In 2014 election, rival groups within YCP Kavali segment worked with unity and ensured victory of the party candidate Ramireddy Pratapkumar Reddy who won over Beeda Masthan Rao of TDP with a majority of 4,969.
But in the past two years, former MLA Katamreddy Vishnuvardhan Reddy is bringing pressure on Jagan to announce his name for Kavali MLA ticket for 2019 elections.
Another former MLA and businessman Vanteru Venugopal Reddy has also staked claim for this ticket on the strength of his having considerable personal following in the segment.
However, Pratapkumar Reddy is saying he has every right to get renomination since he is the sitting MLA and also he has done lot of public service in the past four years.
Meanwhile, Vishnuvardhan has gone to media saying, come what may, he will contest in 2019 elections from Kavali segment without fail. No YCP leader has monopoly on this segment, he asserted.
His comments came amid reports of Nellore MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy having confirmed that once more YCP Kavali ticket would be given to Pratapkumar as per the mood of party leadership.
The TDP leaders are happy after watching these developments that seemed to have indicated group rivalry reaching a point of no return in YCP.
If YCP groups work against each other, it is certain TDP nominee will get a sure-shot edge to the point of winning Kavali with a comfortable majority.
It is because of this rivalry, TDP leader Beeda Masthan Rao could win in 2009 with a fair majority of 19,027 votes. He got 69,219 votes as against 50,192 of Congress nominee Vishnuvardhan and 27,352 of Praja Rajyam Party’s Ramireddy Pratapkumar.
In this election, Congress suffered a severe blow as it lost nearly 25.53 per cent vote share in the segment because of entry of Pratapkumar on PRP ticket.
It is TDP leaders’ hope that the same dynamics will ensure winning chances of their candidate in 2019.
As expected, these developments are sending shivers down the spine of YCP leadership as any major mistake in Nellore district will affect its rating in Rayalaseema districts as well.
After all, it is Rayalaseema and Nellore area on which YCP is depending heavily. Any small mistake will turn YCP’s fortunes upside down.
