YSR Congress party leader and former Andhra Pradesh health minister Vidadala Rajini is one of the several controversial characters, who had brought a bad name to the party during the Jagan Mohan Reddy regime.
Rajini, who had grown to the top in Chilakaluripet assembly constituency thanks to the patronage from a few senior YSRCP leaders, had virtually ruled the constituency as her personal fiefdom.
There were allegations that because of her proximity to the top bosses in the YSRCP, Rajini had made big money during the Jagan regime by fleecing contractors and even common people, thereby damaging the party completely in the constituency.
Politically, she had not only crushed the then opposition Telugu Desam Party, but also the YSRCP leaders in the constituency, so that she could gain control over the party completely. This led to a lot of negative reports against her in Chilakaluripet.
Realising that she has little chance of winning from Chilakaluripet, the party leadership changed her constituency in the last elections to Guntur (West), but there, too, she had to face a humiliating defeat in the hands of TDP leader Galla Madhavi by a margin of over 50,000 votes.
According to latest reports, Rajini is now contemplating returning to her original constituency Chilakaluripet. Using her connections in the high command, she has been requesting that she be made party in-charge in Chilakaluripet again.
Sources said the local YSRCP leaders are strongly resisting her attempts. They have been sending representations to the high command not to send Rajini again to Chilakaluripet, as they have already decided MLC Marri Rajasekhar as their leader.
They have reportedly been bringing pressure on Jagan to declare Rajasekhar as their in-charge, as they would not accept Rajini again under any circumstances.
“Already several cases have been booked against Rajini, her brother-in-law and her PA with regard to sand mafia and other issues. She will go to jail in any of these cases,” sources said.
