Nellore: A major blow to YSRCP in Udayagiri

Nellore : Migration of Udayagiri YSRCP MLA Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy to TDP is like a major blow to the ruling party in Nellore district. It may be recalled that Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy joined the TDP in the presence of party national president Nara Chandrababu Naidu at the party office on Friday.

He is the first YSRCP MLA, who officially joined the TDP, of the three YSRCP suspended MLAs. The remaining two were Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy (Nellore rural) and Anam Ramanarayana Reddy (Venkatagiri).

It is well known that for several years Udayagiri and Atmakuru constituencies remained as the strong hold for Congress and YSRCP with Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy, Mekapati Gautham Reddy (MLA of Atmakuru and Minister). Mekapati Vikram Reddy from that family represented MLAs and MPs under the banner of both parties since 2009. Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy was elected from Udayagiri Assembly segment for three times – with Congress ticket in 2004, with YSRCP ticket in 2009 and 2019.

In 2004 elections, he defeated TDP candidate Kambam Vijayarami Reddy with a majority of 23,075 votes on Congress ticket and in 2009 elections, he defected TDP candidate with a majority of 13,482 votes on Congress ticket. In 2014 elections, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy contested elections with YSRCP ticket and got defeated by TDP candidate Bollineni Rama Rao with a margin of just 3,622 votes.

In 2019 elections, he again contested with YSRCP ticket and won against his political rival Bollineni Rao with a huge majority of 36,568 votes. However, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy didn’t give ticket to Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy and instead deployed Mekapati Rajagopala Reddy (own brother of Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy) as the in-charge of Udayagiri constituency for various reasons.

Later, YSRCP high command suspended Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy along with Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and Anam Ramanarayana Reddy on the charges of encouraging backstabbing politics.

When The Hans India contacted, Mekapati Chandrasekhar Reddy said, “My family, especially myself, is utmost loyal to Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and his son YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Despite several appeals, the party high command didn’t give me ticket in 2014 elections. For reasons unknown, they suspended me from the party.”