Appointment of in-charges upsets YSRCP cadres in 2 constituencies

Vijayawada : Supporters and followers of Vijayawada Central MLA and YSRCP leader Malladi Vishnu have categorically made it clear that they would not support Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao if he contests from the central Assembly constituency.

The YSRCP on Tuesday night announced the in-charges for the two Assembly constituencies of Vijayawada central and Vijayawada west. The party has appointed Vijayawada west MLA Vellampalli Srinivas as the in-charge of the central constituency, which is represented by Malladi Vishnu.

Malladi Vishnu is a senior politician and has been associated with the Congress and YSRCP for over two decades.

AP State Minorities Finance Corporation chairman Shaik Asif was appointed as in-charge of Vijayawada west constituency.

Sitting MLA of Vijayawada Central constituency Malladi Vishnu was elected on behalf of YSRCP in 2019 elections by defeating TDP candidate Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao in a close contest. Vishnu got 70,721 votes and Bonda Umamaheswara Rao got 70,696 votes.

In 2009 elections, Malladi Vishnu was elected on behalf of the Congress party. He defeated the Praja Rajyam Party candidate Vangaveeti Radha Krishna. Vishnu got 52,426 votes and Vangaveeti Radha Krishna got 51,576 votes.

Vishnu has strong influence in many parts of the central constituency and has a large number of followers and supporters. The supporters of Malladi Vishnu gathered at a private function hall in Satyanarayanapuram on Tuesday night and expressed their resentment over the decision of the party leadership. They are demanding that the YSRCP leadership should allot the central constituency ticket to Malladi Vishnu only. He was elected two times from the constituency. Brahmins are in sizeable numbers in the constituency and they are likely to extend support to Vishnu.

Vijayawada central constituency is one of the very few constituencies, where Brahmins constitute majority of the voters. The mainstream political parties are allotting two or three tickets to Brahmins in the Assembly elections in the State.

On the other hand, Vijayawada west MLA Vellampalli Srinivas on Wednesday met Malladi Vishnu at the residence of the latter and sought his co-operation to win the election. The YSRCP announced the name of Vellampalli, who belongs to Arya Vysya community as the in-charge of the central constituency. Interesting point is the mainstream political parties generally allot the tickets based on the caste equations. Arya Vysya population is very nominal in the Central constituency. In West constituency, Arya Vyasyas are in sizeable number and Vellampalli was elected twice from the constituency in 2004 and 2019 on behalf of the Praja Rajyam Party and the YSRCP.

Supporters of Malladi Vishnu are asking the YSRCP leadership to reconsider their decision and appoint Vishnu as the in-charge for the central constituency.

On the other hand, Vellampalli also seems to be unhappy with the decision of the party leadership because the Vysya community voters are very less in central segment. The announcement of the two in-charges for two constituencies in Vijayawada shocked the YSRCP cadres. The party cadres are asking the leadership to consider the caste equations and winning chances before finalising the tickets.

Keen contest is expected between YSRCP and the TDP in 2024 Assembly elections. Social engineering plays a very important role in winning the elections. Mainstream political parties generally allot the tickets based on the caste, religion and winning prospects of the candidates.

Vishnu is expressing his unhappiness to the party leadership on the decision and not responding to the phone calls. He vigorously toured the constituency participating in Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam programme and other party activities.