Vijayawada: Juggling struggle persists in YSRCP

Vijayawada : For the second time in the last three days, the YSRCP has postponed its decision to announce the third list of candidates for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections as the party leadership is still struggling to decide on the candidates as it could not arrive at consensus regarding many constituencies and is likely to make some last minute changes.

According to sources, the party is likely to announce about 30 changes in the third list. In the first list announced recently, it had appointed 11 new constituency in-charges who will also be the official candidates for the Assembly elections. In the second list, it announced the names of another 27 leaders. In the third list, the party is said to have decided on 30 names. This would mean that so far it has decided to make changes in 68 constituencies which would include some Lok Sabha seats.

The party is still facing problems in certain Lok Sabha seats like Ongole, Kanigiri and Pedana seats, Nellore Rural, Rajampeta, Kadapa, etc. The party, on Tuesday, showed some inclination to give the Ongole MP ticket to Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, but it is learnt that the party has gone back on its decision.

On the other hand, MLA Balineni Srinivas Reddy who tried to convince Magunta not to quit the party had met Vijayasai Reddy and told him that the Ongole Parliament seat should be given to Magunta and he himself would contest from Ongole Assembly seat. He also wanted to meet the Chief Minister and discuss the issue with him. Though he was made to wait in Vijayawada for two days by the YSRCP, no appointment was given to him and he returned to Hyderabad saying that he would return only if his conditions were accepted by the Chief Minister.

Nellore Rural in-charge and MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy was called by Vijayasai Reddy and was told that his name was being considered but for that he should hold press conferences and lash at TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu, Lokesh and Pawan Kalyan. Prabhakar Reddy reportedly refused to do so.

The Kadapa Assembly constituency is also causing problems for the ruling party. Just a couple of days back, incumbent MLA Meda Venkata Mallikarjun Reddy was given the green signal for the second time.