YSRCP goes into sleep mode in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: YSRCP seems to have gone into sleep mode in Srikakulam in the wake of internal rifts among the leaders in eight assembly segments out of the total ten assembly segments across the erstwhile Srikakulam district.

The party activities are not showing the kind of enthusiasm that was seen in 2019 elections. This was noticed in Itchapuram, Palasa, Tekkali, Narasannapeta, Srikakulam, Etcherla, Amadalavalasa, Pathapatnam, Palakonda and Rajam constituencies.

In Narasannapeta constituency, YSRCP district president, former Deputy CM and sitting MLA Dharmana Krishna Das is facing severe dissent from his own party leaders. Group of senior leaders led by Dola Jagan Mohan Rao, Tammineni Bhushan Rao and others from Saravakota, Jalumuru, Polaki and Narasannapeta mandals revolted against Krishna Das and have been passive for some time.

Party situation is similar in all other seven Assembly constituencies and the party’s second-rung leaders are not happy and cooperating with their sitting MLAs and party in-charges.

In Itchapuram, YSRCP leaders are divided into groups and strong dissidence is building up against party candidate Piriya Vijaya and her husband and the party leader Piriya Sai Raj. Here YSRCP MLC, Narthu Rama Rao is maintaining a 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. As a result, collective activities of party leaders are not seen here.

In Palasa, YSRCP leaders revolted against the sitting YSRCP MLA and minister for animal husbandry Seediri Appala Raju alleging that, he tried to suppress senior leaders like Duvvada Srikanth, Duvvada Hema Babu and others in the party. Here also party leaders went into a silent mode towards party activities.

In Tekkali, YSRCP leaders are divided into three groups each led by senior leader and former Central minister Killi Kruparani, MLC Duvvada Srinivas and YSRCP Srikakulam MP Candidate Perada Tilak. Though all they belong to Kalinga community but these three leaders are maintaining three separated groups within the party.

In Etcherla also YSRCP sitting MLA Gorle Kiran Kumar has been facing wrath from the party leaders in Ranastalam, G Sigadam, Laveru and Etcherla mandals and they have organised a series of meetings against the MLA and passed an ultimatum to the party high command to change the candidate here.

In Pathapatnam seat, 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 here.

In Amadalavalasa constituency, YSRCP sitting MLA and Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram have been facing opposition from the party senior leaders Chintada Ravi Kumar, Suvvari Gandhi, Kota Govinda Rao and others.

Interestingly, all these rebel group leaders and Speaker belong to the Kalinga community. The dissident group leaders took alleged failures of Tammineni Sitaram to the notice of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Dissident group leaders are maintaining separate offices at the Assembly constituency headquarters.

In the Rajam, YSRCP sitting MLA Kambala Jogulu was shifted to Anakapalli district and a new candidate Tale Rajesh was introduced. But senior leaders felt offended with sudden change of candidate and are not willing to attend the party activities.