Where are all the TDP leaders of North Coastal Andhra, who jumped into the YSRCP bandwagon? What became of them? Have they been given incentives for switching sides? Were there suitable rewards for joining YS Jagan Mohan Reddy?

In North Andhra, especially in Vizag, a large number of TDP former MLAs had decided to sail with the wind and adjusted their sails soon after TDP’s defeat in 2019 elections. They joined the YSRCP at the slightest hint from the YSRCP leadership. Former MLAs like Dr AS Rahman, Panchakarla Ramesh Babu, Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy and Pinninti Varalakshmi queued up to the YSRCP. Jagan took them into the party immediately as he wanted to show the people that the TDP leaders from North Andhra were in favour of Vizag as the second capital of the state.

But, after the capital controversy died down, these ex-MLAs appear to have been largely forgotten. They have neither been given key party posts nor MLC tickets to contest for the legislative council. YS Jagan has not even bothered to meet them so far. Experts say there is no possibility of these ex-MLAs getting even nominated posts. They now realise that Jagan has his own priorities and literally no time for them.

YSRCP insiders say that the party’s thinking heads feel that these MLAs could go back to the TDP if sun again begins to shine on the TRS. “Normally, Jagan takes years to trust people. Hence these turncoat MLAs have nowhere to go.

They say that YS Jagan has cleverly trapped these MLAs on the capital issue. Now that his purpose is served, there is no use for them. Interestingly, TDP MLAs who joined the YSRCP too aren’t happy. They too feel that they are being used and thrown. Unfortunately for the turncoats, they cannot even go back to the TDP, as the TDP too has shut the doors on them.