Exactly three days after he summoned an emergency of meeting of MLAs to ensure that there are no more desertions from the opposition YSRC party, one more MLA ditched YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Amid the talks that TDP was actively pursuing the program of wooing MLAs from weaker sections, Jagan summoned the meeting of MLAS Prakasam and Guntur districts. He was so desperate to get himself reassured, he convened the meeting in the court premises. The meeting was held in the court premises as he was required by the court to be present whole day in the court. Yerragondapalem MLA, Palaparthis David Raju was also present in the meeting of MLAs. David Raju, was bold enough to admit that he was contacted by the ruling party. Emerging from the meeting, David Raju told media that ” the TDP was offering allurements to join the TDP. He, however, said he won’t leave the party and continue to remain in YSRC.
Now, he accepted the ‘sacred’ yellow kanduva from chief minister Chandrababu Naidu to ditch YSRC party.
According party sources, Prakasam district, which forms the connecting link between Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra Pradesh is the next target of TDP. Prakasam is where YSRC wields enough clout in the erstwhile parts of Rayalaseema and Nellore. In a political language it has some strong bastions of Reddy influence. Naidu wants to demolish this and establish TDP supremacy in the region. The Influence of YSRC was the reason for some leaders proposing Donakonda part of the district for the location of Andhra Pradesh capital stating that it would be nearer to the Rayalaseema and “people” of Rayalaseema would have no opposition to locate the capital in the Prakasam district.
So, rightly, Prakasam becomes the Naidu’s next target after Kadapa district. With David Raju’s cross-over it is confirmed beyond doubt that Naidu and his son are hell bent to capture the district. David Raju’s desertion, the confidence of YSRCP circle has deleted to ever lowest level. They are not sure who will remain in the party and who will quit.
The political uncertainty is compelling the party leadership to introspect seriously about the trust-deficit among the party MLAs towards the leadership and take steps to win over their confidence. These MLAs might have won the 2014 election by carrying the portraits of YSR and YS Jaganmohan Reddy, however, it would be unwise on the part of leadership to think that they would remain as just cheer leaders sans their personality. Many complain that this attitude of Jagan and his coterie towards weaker section MLAs was one of the principal reasons to think of jettisoning of YSRCP.