There is a saying in Telugu: “Satrusesham, Runa Sesham Vundakoodadu” (One should not have any trace of the enemy and any part of the loan).
The ruling YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh led by chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is following this age-old adage.
Jagan doesn’t want the main opposition Telugu Desam Party led by N Chandrababu Naidu to have any strong leader in any part of the state, so that the party would be left with strong candidates to contest in the next elections.
He has been focussing on luring leaders from the TDP in different parts of the state, who have the potential to win the next elections or influence the elections in favour of the TDP.
The other day, he managed to make Ganji Chiranjeevi from Mangalagiri to quit the TDP, since he is a strong candidate from weaver’s community, who can tilt the scales in favour of the TDP in the next elections.
Chiranjeevi is all set to join the YSRC on the lines of other strong leader Murugudu Hanumantha Rao in the same constituency.
According to latest reports, the YSRC is laying the trap for another strong TDP leader from Banganapalli area of Kurnool district.
Though he lost the last elections, thanks to the Jagan wave, this TDP leader is understood to have gained a lot of ground in the recent years.
A latest survey commissioned by Jagan is learnt to have revealed that the sitting YSRC MLA in this constituency is likely to lose because of strong anti-incumbency and the TDP leader has fair chances of winning the seat.
That is why, the chief minister has decided to set aside the sitting MLA, who might lose the polls and lay the trap for the TDP leader, who has the chance to win the seat.
However, this particular leader is not unhappy with the TDP leadership, which in fact, has been giving him a lot of importance.
So, the chances of this leader defecting to the YSRC immediately are bleak. So, the YSRC leadership is trying through another route.
According to sources, the party has recently contacted this TDP leader’s son and tried to lure him into the party.
It is learnt Jagan is learnt to have made an offer to the TDP leader’s son to take care of all his election expenses and clear all his financial issues, if he convinces his father to join the YSRC. Apparently, this has worked and the son is evincing interest in joining the YSRC.
If he can convince his father, too, to join the ruling party, it will be a big loss to the TDP and will make the YSRC invincible in Kurnool district.
“We are confident there will be clarity in this regard in a few days,” sources said.
