Srikakulam: Internal differences plague YSRCP in 8 seats

Srikakulam : Division in YSRCP leaders in erstwhile Srikakkulam district consisting of 10 Assembly constituencies Itchapuram, Palasa, Tekkali, Narasannapeta, Srikakulam, Etcherla, Amadalavalasa, Pathapatnam, Palakonda and Rajam is posing a problem for the ruling party. While the party chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy says, ‘Why not 175’, the infighting among the local leaders here has become a headache for the party.

In Itchapuram, YSRCP leaders are divided as groups and strong dissent is building up against the party candidate, Piriya Vijaya and her husband Piriya Sai Raj who is also YSRCP leader. YSRCP MLC Narthu Rama Rao is maintaining the rebel group along with fishermen and Reddika community leaders as Rama Rao belongs to Yadava community. Piriya Vijaya and Piriya Sai Raj belong to Buragana Kalinga community.

In Palasa, YSRCP leaders revolted against the sitting YSRCP MLA and minister for animal husbandry Seediri Appala Raju by alleging that he tried to suppress senior leaders like Duvvada Srikanth, Duvvada Hema Babu and others in the party.

Minister Appala Raju is accused of failing to resolve cashew farmers’ issue relating to minimum support price and also involved in land disputes and illegal mining of gravel etc., in his constituency.

In Tekkali also YSRCP leaders are divided into three groups led by senior leader and former Central minister Killi Kruparani, MLC Duvvada Srinivas and YSRCP Srikakulam MP candidate Perada Tilak belong to Kalinga community.

In Narasannapeta, a group of YSRCP senior leaders led by Dola Jagan Mohan Rao, Tammineni Bhushan Rao and others from Saravakota, Jalumuru, Polaki and Narasannapeta mandals revolted against the sitting MLA and former deputy CM Dharmana Krishna Das and issued an ultimatum demanding change of the candidate here. Interestingly, Dharmana Krishna Das is serving as YSRCP Srikakulam parliamentary constituency president.

In Etcherla, YSRCP sitting MLA Gorle Kiran Kumar has been facing wrath of party leaders in Ranastalam, G Sigadam, Laveru and Etcherla mandals and they have organised series of meetings against the MLA and passed an ultimatum to the party high command by demanding change of candidate here. In Pathapatnam constituency too YSRCP sitting MLA Reddy Shanthi has been facing wrath from the party leaders in Kotturu, Meliaputti and Pathapatnam mandals and they have organized series of rallies against the MLA and passed an ultimatum to the party high command to change the candidate.

In Amadalavalasa, YSRCP sitting MLA and Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram has been facing wrath of the party senior leaders Chintada Ravi Kumar, Suvvari Gandhi, Kota Govinda Rao and others. All these dissenting group leaders and Speaker belong to Kalinga community.

These dissident leaders took a series of failures of Tammineni Sitaram to the notice of Chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. But he is likely to clear his name as he is a senior leader and the community of the Sitaram, Kalingas, are major community in the district.

In Rajam constituency also YSRCP sitting MLA Kambala Jogulu was shifted to Anakapalli district. Senior leaders felt offended with this sudden change of candidate.