CM Jagan Continues Talks for Selection of Party Candidates

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy continued his  deliberations on a reshuffle and selection of YSRC candidates for Assembly and Parliament segments here on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister was expected to complete the exercise by Tuesday night or Wednesday and release the third list.

MP Kuruva Gorantla Madhav was called by Jagan Mohan Reddy to the CM’s camp office on Tuesday. According to sources, the CM discussed with him in detail about the present conditions in the Hindupur Parliament segment and explained about the reasons why tickets are denied to some leaders.

After the meeting, Madhav said there was no talk about the Hindupur MP ticket, as it would not be offered to him. He asked the CM for an Assembly ticket and expressed hope that he would get a chance to contest the polls.

The Penamaluru segment politics warmed up as YSRC present MLA Kolusu Parthsarathy got angry with the YSRC leadership. TD MLA Velgapudi Ramakrishna along with other leaders went to the office of Parthasarathy and offered to give him the TD ticket to contest the 2024 elections from Penamaluru or Nuzvid.

Former minister and YSRC MLA Vellampalli Srinivas along with another MLA M. Jaganmohan Rao went to the office of the MLA and tried to pacify Parthasarathy.

Vijayawada central YSRC MLA Malladi Vishnu, who was denied the ticket, was planning to quit the party. MP and YSRC regional coordinator Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy held talks with Vishnu. Later, Rami Reddy along with former minister Vellampalli Srinivas brought Vishnu to the CM’s camp office, where Jagan Mohan Reddy held talks with them to resolve the “misconceptions” and ensure coordination between them to work for the success of the party candidates.

Party sources said the CM put an alternative offer to Vishnu in lieu of the loss of the MLA ticket.

Interestingly, Singanamla YSRC MLA Jonnalagadda Padmavathi, who revolted against the party leadeship, came to the camp office, met Jagan Mohan Reddy and gave an explanation to him about her recent comments. The MLA said she was forced to contact the CMO even for minor matters, like water supply, and hence she got upset.

Later speaking to the media, Padmavathi said she came into politics in support of Jagan Mohan Reddy and there was no truth about her “revolt” against the YSRC and Jagan Mohan Reddy. She did not wish to become a minister. “I will obey the orders of CM Jagan Mohan Reddy,” she said and added that she would reconcile herself to a denial of the party ticket.

The sources said the third list is likely to be released on Wednesday or Thursday. Jagan Mohan Reddy is also finalising the names of coordinators for the Lok Sabha constituencies. By the Sankranti festival, the entire process is likely to be completed.