TDP, YSRCP keep eye on defections

Vijayawada: The ruling Telugu Desam Party and Opposition YSR Congress Party are keeping an eye on the leaders of other parties to encourage defections as part of their strategies in politics.

The tug of war is going on between the TDP and YSRCP to invite leaders from the BJP and others who want to be active in politics from now onwards in view of the forthcoming elections. Both the parties welcoming leaders like KannaLakshminarayana and Vasanta Krishna Prasad in Guntur and Krishna districts. Similarly,in Kurupam, YSRCP MLA Pushpa Srivani's uncle Chandrasekhara Raju joined the TDP though he was asked by Jaganmohan Reddy not to leave the party.

Now, former MLA and TDP leader of Visakhapatnam Kannababu Raju is also facing similar situation. Though the leadership of YSR Congress invited him to join,minister Ganta Srinivas Rao is making all efforts to prevent him to join YSRCP. Likewise, both the parties are searching for alternative leaders in all the constituencies in the 13 districts. Some leaders from Congress party opt to remain silent after the state bifurcation. Similarly, some leaders of BJP are searching for alternative platforms taking into consideration of tussle with TDP and declining prospects of BJP in the state.

Moreover, former MLAs, contestants in the past elections, second-rung leaders of YSRCP and TDP are expressing their willingness to contest in the forthcoming elections. In this backdrop, the parties are making plans to offer party tickets to contest in the next elections with a view to strengthen the parties’ base on first priority.

Recently former MLA and TDP leader Yalamanchali Ravi joined YSRCP after confirming his seat for contesting from Vijayawada East Constituency. Similarly former MLA Malladi Vishnu also joined YSRCP from the Congress. The politics may take new turn with more defections and changing loyalties, said political analyst A Brahmaiah. He said that these trends are common in politics ahead of the elections.

BY Patibandla Srinivas