Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy had reportedly warned the two warring leaders from Nellore. He had summoned both Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy and former minister P Anil Kumar Yadav to the camp office at Tadepalli on Wednesday and warned them of severe action if they indulged in group politics.
The two leaders held counter meetings last Sunday creating a law and order problem in Nellore town. While Govardhan Reddy’s followers organised a reception rally and meeting to the minister on his first visit, Anil held a meeting of his supporters.
The two leaders have differences right from the beginning and never met despite being in the same party and elected from the same Nellore district. When Anil Kumar was in the cabinet, he could not visit Sarvepalli constituency in the district, which is represented by Govardhan Reddy. They hardly held meetings together in the last three years.
After Anil Kumar was dropped from the cabinet and Govardhan Reddy was given the ministerial berth, the differences further intensified. Anil Kumar refused to cooperate with the Minister in the district issues on the ground that Govardhan Reddy did not cooperate with him during his stint as minister.
If this was not enough, the supporters of both Anil Kumar and Govardhan Reddy have put up flexies all over the Nellore town in support of their leader. Anil Kumar had also met Govardhan Reddy’s another rival from Nellore district, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy.
The chief minister had already appointed Anil Kumar Yadav as the party regional coordinator for YSR and Tirupati districts. Sources say that the chief minister had asked Anil Kumar to take care of the party activities in the two districts, without interfering with the Minister’s work.
It is to be seen if the two leaders bury the hatchet and work for the party as expected by Jaganmohan Reddy.