Andhra Pradesh: YSRC Members Blame Each Other for Debacle

Visakhapatnam: Members of YSRC had heated arguments here on Thursday over the reasons for the party’s electoral debacle. One section of leaders blamed the other.

Mayor Kumari, former minister Gudivada Amarnath, MLC Varudu Kalyani, former Visakhapatnam South MLA Vasupalli Ganesh, corporators and several second- rung leaders assembled in the party office at Yendada here, mainly to discuss on the YS Rajasekhara Reddy birth anniversary events of July 8.

After this discussion, some members started presenting their views on the party’s dismal performance in the elections, which had seen a sweep by the Telugu Desam in the north coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Former MLA Ganesh Kumar blamed “some leaders” for the debacle, saying they took the funds but did not work for the party.

Senior leader and GVMC corporator P Suresh said the suspension of some active workers by the party leadership prior to the polls discouraged others from working for the party in the elections. The YSRC cadre blamed the leadership for ignoring them during the elections.

Later, the gathering split into two groups, with one group supporting former minister Gudivada Amarnath. They said the Visakhapatnam district party should be headed by Amarnath so as to restore its glory.

The party cadre expressed their grief that even as the party won 40 per cent of the votes, it lost the polls due to mismanagement of the polls by the leaders. They warned that the consequences would be severe if the behavior of these leaders did not change.

Mayor Hari Kumar appealed to the party workers to maintain unity and revive its power to fight on important issues. Former MP, MVV Satyanarayana, and former MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao did not attend the meeting.