When YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy was in New Delhi on Friday to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman, the media attention was mostly on who had accompanied him during the tour.
Everybody was focussing on how Jagan had allegedly snubbed his party MP from Ongole Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy by not even looking at him, let alone reciprocating his greetings and how his trusted aide V Vijay Sai Reddy was following him to the meetings.
But one person who was conspicuous by his absence was Rajya Sabha member Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who had been a staunch loyalist of Jagan and had never missed to accompany the chief minister whenever he came to Delhi.
According to sources, Vemireddy had left for Dubai the previous day, knowing fully well that Jagan would be coming to New Delhi. He had switched off his phones and was not available either to Jagan or other senior party leaders.
As reported in these columns, Vemireddy has been sulking every since the YSRCP president made changes in the candidates for assembly segments in Nellore, particularly Nellore (city) constituency.
Vemireddy was named as the party candidate for Nellore Lok Sabha seat long ago, but he was reluctant as he was apprehensive that local MLA P Anil Kumar Yadav would play a spoilsport with his winning prospects.
Though he managed to see that Jagan shifted Anil Kumar Yadav to Narasraopet Lok Sabha constituency, he did not get a candidate of his choice for Nellore (city), including his wife Vemireddy Prashanti, so that he would have smooth sailing in the Lok Sabha elections.
But to his chagrin, Jagan gave the party ticket for Nellore (city) seat to Mohd Khaleel, deputy Mayor of Nellore corporation. This made Vemireddy upset, as Khaleel is a close follower of Anil Kumar Yadav. In fact, soon after his name was announced, Khaleel thanked Anil and met Jagan along with the latter.
Disappointed over the development, Vemireddy went incognito and stayed back in New Delhi. He reportedly switched off his phones and remained unavailable to the party leadership. Now, he has left for Dubai.
It remains to be seen whether Vemireddy will now contest the Nellore Lok Sabha elections or turn a rebel like other MLAs of the district. In that case, Jagan will have to look for another suitable candidate for Nellore!
