YSRCP leaders queue up to join TDP in Nellore

Following a severe defeat in the 2024 Assembly polls, several leaders of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are confined to their homes and have turned politically inactive in the State

Following a severe defeat in the 2024 Assembly polls, several leaders of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) are confined to their homes and have turned politically inactive in the State. After losing all Assembly seats and the Lok Sabha seat in Sri Potti Sriramulu (SPS) Nellore district, the key leaders and party workers of YSRCP were seen quitting the party and trying to join Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

In Nellore Rural constituency, YSRCP leader Adala Prabhakar Reddy was not seen post elections. The YSRCP cadres are fuming over his attitude of not attending the party office. Those who badly criticised Nellore Rural sitting MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy for joining TDP from YSRCP before elections, are looking to jump into his party after his hat-trick victory in the recent polls.

YSRCP leader from 19th Division, Kondeti Raghuram Reddy, along with his brother and 200 followers, resigned from the party on Sunday. They are ready to join TDP under the leadership of Kotamreddy. He announced that he will support the TDP MLA and his party members in the upcoming Municipal polls and other elections.

After Kondeti brothers, Nellore Mayor P. Sravanthi Jayavardhan and her husband also announced to quit YSRCP on Monday. On the occasion, she said, “Without having any political background, I was given corporator ticket by Kotamreddy during his previous term as MLA. He also made me the Mayor. He has encouraged and given political opportunities to many party workers like me.”

Earlier when Kotamreddy joined TDP, she agreed to come out of YSRCP to support him, but in vain. “At that time, I had to stay with YSRCP due to the pressure of the ruling party leaders. We were also pressurised to speak against Kotamreddy during the elections, but I remained quiet,” she claimed, seeking apologies from the MLA.

Besides them, many other party workers are also coming out of YSRCP. However, TDP leaders are not ready to allow anyone into their party post elections. Speaking to The Hindu, Sridhar Reddy said, “During the elections, many posts were made on social media insulting me personally. Some of them mocking my wife and children.”

“Despite all the insults, we emerged as winners with the support of the people. Now, we don’t want to take any revenge on anyone,” he said, adding that the party will not allow new members again before next elections. He ruled out the possibility of inducting the YSRCP workers into his party until 2029 Assembly polls.