Normally, Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi knows how to keep her politics and her literary activity separate. On political forums, she doesn’t talk about literature and on literary forums, she doesn’t talk politics. But, her recent comments at a literary meet in Srikakulam have stirred up the political hornet’s nest.

Lakshmi Parvathy’s only electoral success is in Pathapatnam. From 1996 to 1999, she was an MLA from Pathapatnam. The next time she contested from the same constituency, she polled a mere 1500 votes. That was the end of her electoral ambitions. But, she has been keeping contact with the literary and political circles of the district ever since. Recently, she was in Srikakulam for a book release function. But, it was her political comments that have become a topic of heated debate.

Speaking at the function, she wished former minister Dharmana Prasada Rao and said that he would soon become a minister in the cabinet reshuffle. Dharmana too shared the dais with her. As of now, Dharmana’s brother Dharmana Krishna Das is a minister in Jagan’s cabinet. Not just that. He is one of the five deputy CMs of Andhra Pradesh. Did she mean that Krishna Das would be replaced by Prasada Rao? What’s behind her comments? Did she have some inkling of what’s going on in Jagan’s mind? Was it an off-the-cuff comment or does she have some inside information?

It is well-known that Dhamana Prasada Rao is unhappy with being sidelined in the party. While his brother Krishna Das is a key member of Jagan’s inner coterie, Prasada Rao has no role whatsoever. In fact, he was with Jagan when not many were willing to join him. Yet, he remained ignored when YSRCP came to power. Given all these things, Lakshmi Parvathi’s comments are being taken quite seriously. The political circles are hotly debating if she had some prior information and was deliberately airing it.