Nellore: YSRCP suffers a jolt in Nellore as Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy quits

Nellore : In a major blow to YSRCP in the district, party Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy resigned from party primary membership on Wednesday.

After serious discussions over his continuation in the party with well-wishers and party important leaders, Prabhakar Reddy finally quit the ruling party submitting two separate resignation letters, one from his Rajya Sabha membership and another from party district president and primary membership.

In his resignation letters addressed to Chief Minister and party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, he stated that he was resigning for personal reasons. “I will be grateful to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for extending support for continuing in the party all these years," he said.

A resident of Nellore city, a contractor-cum-politician, Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, popularly known as VPR, is a close follower of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

When Rajasekhara Reddy was alive, he asked VPR to contest from Kovuru Assembly constituency in 2004 elections. But he ignored such proposal though he continued to extend the support to Congress and later YSRCP after the death of YSR.

However, VPR has become the member of Rajya Sabha on YSRCP ticket following invitation of CM Jagan Mohan Reddy in biennial elections held in March 2018. He played crucial role in bringing YSRCP to power in 2019 elections.

However, differences cropped with Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy as VPR had reportedly expected party Nellore city Assembly ticket either to his wife Prasanthi Reddy or one Sk Imtiyaz Ahmad, owner Madina Watch Company in Nellore city in place of sitting MLA P Anil Kumar Yadav.

He also suggested to the Chief Minister to replace Mekapati Rajagopala Reddy in Udayagiri as party in-charge and Kavali sitting MLA Ramireddy Prathap Reddy if party high command wants him to contest as Nellore MP in the ensuing elections.

After party ignored these proposals by party high command, VPR also declined the party’s proposal that he should contest from Nellore LS seat.

Later, following latest political developments, VPR met TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh. His candidature for Nellore MP seat is said to have been almost finalised during discussions of TDP, JSP as part of electoral alliance.

Welcoming the decision of VPR quitting YSRCP, TDP senior leader and that party politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy commented this incident proved that good people have no space in YSRCP.