Fifth YSRCP MP quits party, leaders worry if Jagan ticket shuffling a risky bet

IN YET another jolt to the ruling YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh, Ongole MP Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy Wednesday quit the party, citing “self-respect” issues.

Sreenivasulu, whose son has turned ‘approver’ in the Delhi excise scam case, becomes the fifth YSRCP MP to exit the party over the past few weeks, after Vallabhaneni Balashowry (Machilipatnam MP), K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju (Narasapuram), Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (Narasaraopeta), Sanjeev Kumar (Kurnool) and V Prabhakar Reddy (Rajya Sabha MP). While Balashowry has joined the JanaSena Party (JSP), the others have already joined or will soon join JSP ally Telugu Desam party (TDP).

“We do not have ego, we have a lot of self-respect. It is important to protect our self-respect all the time. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, we have to leave the YSRCP. It is a sad development,” Sreenivasulu said, announcing his decision.

Sources said Sreenivasulu, who was pushing for a ticket for his son M Raghava Reddy for the Ongole Lok Sabha seat, was miffed after YSRCP chief and Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy appointed Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy as the parliamentary in-charge for the seat, virtually ending his chances.

Jagan has been appointing in-charges for Assembly and parliamentary seats, who are touted to be candidates for the upcoming simultaneous state and general elections. With an aim to beat anti-incumbency, the party is going in for new names in place of sitting MPs and MLAs, which is behind many of the recent desertions from the party.

Leaders close to the MP said Sreenivasulu is likely to join the TDP, which has assured his son of a ticket. The TDP-JSP is, incidentally, hopeful of forming an alliance with the resurgent BJP for the Lok Sabha elections.

TDP