For the past few months, reports have surfaced about differences between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) leaders and cadres at the ground level, even though, at the top level, there appears to be complete coordination between the leadership of both parties.
More often than not, it has been the Jana Sena leaders who have complained about the lack of respect from the TDP and the domination of TDP MLAs over JSP workers in several constituencies.
In certain areas, particularly in the Kapu-dominated East and West Godavari districts, TDP leaders are facing challenges from JSP leaders, who are dominating local politics and pushing TDP leaders into the background.
On Thursday, senior TDP leader and Kakinada Rural constituency coordinator Pilli Satyanarayana Murthy, popularly known as Sattibabu, submitted his resignation from the party post.
In his resignation letter to party president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Sattibabu cited growing differences with Jana Sena MLA Pantham Nanaji, who represents Kakinada Rural.
Sattibabu stated that during the assembly elections, he and his wife, former MLA Pilli Ananta Lakshmi, worked tirelessly to secure Nanaji’s victory, which resulted in a majority of 72,000 votes.
However, after the elections, he alleged that Nanaji failed to acknowledge or cooperate with TDP leaders and workers in the constituency, instead sidelining them.
“Even when party workers approached him for help, they were told to ‘bring their village Jana Sena president first.’ This,” Sattibabu said, “has demoralized TDP workers, who are now distancing themselves.”
He further expressed frustration over the lack of funds for development and welfare programs, as well as the absence of cooperation from officials, despite earlier assurances of a 50-50 power-sharing arrangement between TDP and JSP during the campaign.
Sattibabu said that although he raised the issue multiple times with Naidu and district in-charge minister P Narayana, no corrective measures were taken.
“Under these circumstances, I see no reason to continue as the constituency coordinator,” he concluded in his resignation letter.
