Just a day left for the commencement of nomination process for the much-awaited assembly and Lok Sabah elections in Andhra Pradesh and the leaders appear to have come to the conclusion that YSR Congress party is the best bet compared to Telugu Desam Party, whose graph is on the downside.
It is evident from the way several prominent leaders made a beeline to the Lotus Pond, the YSR Congress party headquarters in Hyderabad.
Several leaders from TDP and the Congress party, who have preferred YSRC to TDP, came to meet YSRC president and joined the party.
Interestingly, even those who have been given the tickets and those who were offered tickets, besides those who were offered Rajya Sabha nomination in the TDP also preferred the YSRC, which they believed have bright chances of coming to power.
Former minister Adala Prabhakar Reddy, who was given the TDP ticket for Nellore (Rural) seat, dumped the party and came to Lotus pond to join the YSRC. Apparently, he was promised the YSRC ticket for Nellore Lok Sabha seat.
Similarly, TDP MLC and former MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy rejected the TDP ticket for Ongole Lok Sabha seat and joined the YSRC, which promised him the same seat. He, too, thought he could win the seat from YSRC, rather than in the TDP.
Former MP and also former minister Konathala Ramakrishna, who was disgusted with dilly-dallying tactics of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, also returned to the YSRC fold. Jagan has lifted the suspension on him and is likely to field him from Anakapalle Lok Sabha seat.
Another MP Butta Renuka from Kurnool also returned to the YSRC after she was denied renomination in her seat by the TDP.
Senior TDP leader and former whip Vanga Geetha, who played a key role in the TDP for several years, realised that she has bright future in YSRC. After staying away from TDP activities for quite some time, she joined the YSRC on Saturday.
Senior Congress leader Dronamraju Srinivas also joined YSRC to revive his lost glory in Visakhapatnam district.
“These joining are indications of the fact that the momentum is with YSRCP, and the party is set to sweep the coming elections,” a party leader said.
