Former minister and senior TDP leader Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on Friday said that the officials have supported the ruling YSR Congress in the just-concluded general election to the Assembly and Parliament.

He said that the officials did not support the TDP as alleged. He also said that the officials have failed to provide security at the polling booths on the day of polling. They have ignored even the sensitive polling booths as well, he said.

He said that Marripadu mandal in Atmakur Assembly constituency is a sensitive area. The officials have just deployed women police at the polling stations in the mandal, he alleged. People here use country bombs, and it is a known fact, he said. However, the police did not provide proper security here, he said.

He said he took the issue to the notice of the election commission. But no one responded to his complaint, he said. He said that he then alerted the TDP polling agents and prevented rigging in several booths. The ruling YSR Congress had made arrangements for rigging in the mandals, but the TDP could prevent it, he said.

Ramanarayana Reddy said that the TDP-led NDA alliance would form the government after June 4. He said that people have come in large numbers only to vote for the TDP and alliance. The women were in large numbers, he said and they came to the polling stations because of the free bus travel promise by the TDP, he said.

He alleged that chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy did not take care of the welfare of the people in the last five years. All that Jagan Mohan Reddy encouraged was the mafia, he alleged. He also alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy had looted the state in five years.

He found fault with the government bringing the Land Titling Act and termed it as anti-constitutional. He asked the government to withdraw the Land Titling Act. He said that Jagan Mohan Reddy has no experience in administration. The state requires an experienced leader like Chandrababu Naidu, he said.

Former minister and Venkatagiri MLA, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, had said that he would hold a meeting with his supporters in the district on Sunday. He asked his supporters from Nellore district, particularly from Venkatagiri, Nellore and Atmakur Assembly constituencies to come for the meeting.

Ramanarayana Reddy had met TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad on Friday evening and returned to Nellore on Saturday. On return, he met the party leaders at his home. TDP leaders Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, and other TDP leaders joined the brief meeting.

Later, speaking to the media, Ramanarayana Reddy said that they have discussed the arrangements for the party general secretary Nara Lokesh’s padayatra. He said that the party leaders are working hard to make the padayatra a success in Nellore district, which starts from June 13.

The former minister said that he would join the TDP after Lokesh’s padayatra was completed in Nellore district.

Ramanarayana Reddy was one of the four MLAs that the ruling YSR Congress had suspended from the party after the MLC elections. The other three are Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, both from Nellore district and Vundavalli Sridevi from Guntur district. The YSR Congress alleged that the four MLAs have voted for the TDP candidate in the MLC elections, attracting disciplinary action.

Ramanarayana Reddy is the contemporary of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu. He served as Roads and Buildings Minister in late N T Rama Rao’s cabinet in 1985, then as Information and Public Relations Minister in late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy’s government in 2007 and Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister in late K Rosaiah’s cabinet and finance minister during N Kiran Kumar Reddy regime.

The YSRCP leadership is increasingly realizing that Anam Ramnarayana Reddy inside the party is much more problematic than Anam Ramnarayan Reddy outside the party. He is increasingly seen as someone who is alienating the party workers and promoting groupism within the party.

Firstly, he is putting the party in a spot of bother with his statements slamming his own government. He has also made comments against Minister Ravikumar Yadav and expressed his exasperation at not being made a minister once too often. As if this was not enough, he is alienating the grassroots level leadership.

In fact, before his joining of the YSRCP ahead of 2019 elections, the party had leaders like Bommireddy Raghavendra Reddy, Ramprasad Reddy, Suresh Reddy and Delhi Babu. Suresh and Delhi Babu, who strongly opposed Anam’s entry became inactive soon after he joined the party. But, Anam managed to convince them to work together during the 2019 elections.

But soon after, he began to encourage groupism in the party. Anam promoted Bhanupriya as the municipal chairperson instead of senior politician Dontu Sarada,. Though Sarada was compensated with a nominated post, the gap continued and several leaders had complained against Anam. Another senior leader Ramprasada Reddy and former MLA Saikrishna Yachendra too have lodged a complaint against Anam over the issue of co-option members in the Nellore Municipal Corporation.

Vexed with Anam, party affairs incharge Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy is believed to have stepped in to address the issue. He is said to have held a meeting with the leaders of anti-Anam factions. He is said to be trying to convince the disgruntled leaders. Anam Ramnarayana Reddy is thus proving to be a tough nut to crack for the even the biggies of the YSRCP.

Former minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy is a deeply disgruntled man. He is not at peace in his own party – the YSRCP. The party has not given him any post of importance. While people much junior to him are enjoying positions of power, Anam has been completely marginalized. This, according to the political watchers, is the reason for his grouse.

On last Independence Day, Anam was not given the protocol that he deserved and was not even invited to the official festivities. He is also upset that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is not giving him time to put across his case. To add insult to injury, none of the ministers from Nellore district consult him on any issue. This has mightily upset Anam Ramnarayan Reddy.

It is because of this anger and frustration that Anam has recently talked about the local mafia. He said that the local police were in collusion with the local mafia. However, Anam did not specify who the mafia is and which police official is in cahoots with them. Without specifics, this is nothing but a wild allegation and the police have dismissed these comments.

The problem for Anam is that he is not even sure of getting a YSRCP ticket for the 2024 elections. Jagan is not even consulting him on any issue. If he does not get the party ticket, his political career will hit a dead-end. It is this frustration that is making him speak in this manner, say sources. What a situation for someone who was once the finance minister of the undivided state?

Internal differences within YCP leaders are disclosing to the public many irregularities these days. Former Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana once again targetted his own party Government on the issue of water distribution. Already, allegations came up that some ruling party leaders have sold out waters in Somasila reservoir. This time, Anam demanded explanations from the officials why only 290 cusecs water reached Chennai while they have actually released 1,300 cusecs from Kandaleru head regulator.

Of all scams taking place since YCP came to power, water scams are badly embarrassing the Government. But still, no clarifications are coming forth either from the Irrigation Minister or from the department senior officials. Now, Anam threatened to hold a press conference once again soon to come out with more details of highly objectionable activities in the irrigation department.

Anam also launched a bitter attack on the DRDA Project Director, asking whether such a District Officer was there to arrange tea, coffee and snacks for the Ministers. When asked to attend review meetings, the PD was talking about arrangements to be made at Guest House for the Ministers.

Anam said that he made demands for releasing water for his Venkatagiri constituency but there was no action so far. With this, doubts are arising whether his assembly segment is not part of Andhra Pradesh. The engineers should clarify whether Venkatagiri is deleted from the list of the total 175 assembly constituencies in the state.