The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) high command’s move, to change the in-charges in the MP and MLA constituencies created a flutter in the political circles of the Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts.
Significantly, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s new list, dropping the sitting MP, Gorantla Madav of Hindupur Lok Sabha constituency, and bringing in former BJP MP from Bellary of Karnataka, J. Shantha as in-charge shocked the party cadres. Ms. Shanta is the sister of a senior BJP leader from Karnataka, B. Sriramulu. Interestingly, Ms. Shanta who joined the YSRCP on Wednesday was declared the Hindupur Lok Sabha constituency in-charge, thus eliminating Mr. Madhav’s prospects. Senior party leaders observed that this move would adversely impact the party in both the districts.
Similarly, the shifting of Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah to the Kalyanadurgam assembly constituency to replace the sitting MLA and Minister Ushashre Charan has led to confusion in Anantapur’s politics. Further, declaring Penukonda MLA Malagundla Sankaranarayana as the in-charge of Anantapur Lok Sabha constituency is being seen as a ‘mistake’ on the part of the YSRCP high command. The shifting of district minister and Kalyanadurgam MLA Ushasree Charan to the neighboring Penukonda assembly constituency led to disappointment among the party cadres and supporters of Mr. Sankaranarayana. Another significant development was the dropping of the sitting MLA at Kadiri in Sri Sathya Sai district, and declaring a new face Maqbool Basha as the party in-charge there.
Local leaders maintained that the new political development in the combined Anantapur district reflected the direct influence of a couple of Karnataka-based leaders. . Senior party cadres claimed that the three leaders — Usha Sree Charan, Shantha, and Kapu Ramachandra Reddy (MLA of Rayadurgam) — have the blessings of Karnataka’s Gangavathi MLA and former mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy.
Meanwhile, Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah observed that Jagan recognised his services to the party, and he would do his best for the party as the newly-appointed in-charge of Kalayandurgam assembly constituency.
