BJP leaders find YSRC safe bet

Vijayawada: As elections are just a year away, Opposition YSR Congress has begun poaching leaders from saffron party by offering them party ticket to contest in the forthcoming elections. The YSRC has mainly focused its attention on the leaders of some worth in the BJP and second rung leaders of the Telugu Desam Party. 

The leaders like Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, Kanna Laxmi Narayana, Katasani Rambhoopal Reddy are all set to join the YSRC from BJP soon. Though former MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao has dismissed the reports as rumours, there is a possibility that he would contest for Parliament seat on YSRC ticket. Former Minister Kanna Laxmi Narayana is likely to meet Jagan on Wednesday. They all played important role in Congress in the past.     

They shifted their loyalties from the Congress to the BJP after the bifurcation of AP. BJP floor leader P Vishnu Kumar Raju has given similar indications to join YSRC. He said that he would meet YS Jaganmohan Reddy in his Prajasankalpa Yatra in Visakhapatnam.

In West Krishna, Vasanta Krishna Prasad, son of former Home Minister Vasanta Nageswara Rao, is all set to join YSRC to contest against Minister for Water Resources Devineni Umamaheshwara Rao, who is representing Mylavaram constituency in Krishna district.

Former MLA Yalamanchali Ravi has already joined YSRC from TDP. He was appointed as coordinator for Vijayawada East constituency. On the other hand, former minister Yerneni Sita Devi has also resigned to the BJP. But she did not reveal her future role.

Actually, all the leaders started searching alternative platforms after realising the downfall of the BJP in the State. The leaders have long track record in politics and they are not ready to call it quits yet.

That is why they want to shift their loyalties from the BJP, said TDP Knowledge Centre in-charge P Anil. He said the TDP has invited only good candidates. Now the leaders who were joining YSRC were also involved in corruption cases, he said.