For the last few days, there has been an alarming situation in the YSR Congress Party, with one leader after another resigning from the party, leaving the cadre in a state of confusion and panic.
Yet, there seems to be absolutely no reaction from the party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy or the leaders in his inner circle, who have been controlling the party organization.
While many leaders left the party before the general elections, several others, including former MLAs, former MPs, municipal chairpersons, corporators, councillors, and zilla parishad and mandal parishad members, have quit the party following its humiliating defeat in the assembly elections.
For example, former Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas, also known as Alla Nani, former MLAs Kilari Rosaiah, Ravela Kishore Babu, Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad, Maddali Giridhar, Pendem Dorababu, and former Minister Siddha Raghava Rao have all resigned from the YSRCP one after another.
A couple of days ago, Eluru Municipal Chairperson Sheikh Noorjahan also resigned from the party. And on Wednesday, it was the turn of YSRCP Women’s Wing President and MLC Pothula Sunitha.
Adding to the crisis, there are now reports that YSRCP Rajya Sabha members Mopidevi Venkata Ramana and Beeda Mastan Rao might quit the party in a day or two. Many other MPs are likely to follow suit, according to reports.
But Jagan has not made any effort so far to prevent this exodus of leaders.
According to a party leader, Jagan has not even tried to call these disgruntled leaders to assure them that he would take care of their political and business interests.
“Forget Jagan, no senior leader of the party has bothered to talk to those who are leaving. It’s hard to understand what is going on in the mind of the party president. Maybe he thinks it’s good riddance if these leaders quit the party,” a source said.
In fact, leaders like Alla Nani and Mopidevi are die-hard supporters of the YSR family and harsh critics of Naidu and the TDP.
“Yet, they are being forced to leave the party. Jagan should have made an effort to retain them by talking to them,” the source added.
