Vijayawada: Marking New Year, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is embarking on the Mission 2024 Mega elections by finalizing the full list of incharges for assembly constituencies under his ‘Why Not 175’ endeavour.
The chief minister is likely to announce a second list of incharges in a day or two. According to available information, the YSRCP would change about 50 sitting MLAs.
Jagan Reddy treats the 2024 elections prestigious. He is analysing pros and cons of every legislator, conducting consultations and finalizing the incharges. He aims to zero in on the winning horses.
The chief minister had indicated to his party MLAs that they would not be given the tickets if they failed to improve their performances in the past year and a half though mass outreach programmes. He thrice listed out the names of poor performers and asked them to improve their ratings.
Hardly ten weeks’ time is left for the general elections. Jagan Reddy started efforts to select the winning horses on the basis of the surveys done by IPAC, the state police intelligence and two other entities.
Within a week of the Telangana assembly election results that ousted KCR from power, Jagan Reddy reviewed the AP scenario and changed YSRC candidates in 11 assembly constituencies. He dropped a few MLAs.
In Mangalagiri constituency, he denied party ticket to sitting MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy and replaced him with a BC candidate Ganji Chiranjeevi. Reddy resigned from the assembly membership as well as from the party but Jagan Reddy was unruffled.
Interestingly, YSRC legislators are making rounds of the CMO and meeting senior leaders to get clarification about their chances for 2024. In this context, YSRC MLAs are reportedly frightened over receiving phone calls from the CMO. Jagan Reddy is asking some legislators to come to CMO to discuss changes in the constituency in one-to-one meetings. They are worried that they would either be losing their seat or a change of candidature for an MP seat if a phone call comes from CMO.
Party sources said the second list may be announced either on January 2, 3 or later. Likely, the YSRCP would change about 50 sitting MLAs. The party had first said it would change 25 to 30 MLAs but more changes are contemplated.
According to YSRC sources, CM Jagan is planning to make major changes in erstwhile combined East Godavari and West Godavari districts, which account for 35 assembly constituencies. This follows reports that the TD-Jana Sena combine have regained a lot of ground in the last few months there.
The CM is primarily planning to change nine candidates in erstwhile combined Godavari districts, six in Krishna district, seven in Anantapur, four each in Visakhapatnam and Prakasam districts, three in Kurnool district and two in Srikakulam district.
The sources said that changes are inevitable in Vijayawada central, Vijayawada West, Penamaluru, Pedana, Rajolu, Udayagiri, Gangadhara Nellore, Badvelu, P. Gannavaram, Kodumuru, Jaggayyapet, Pendurthi, Markapuram, Aaluru, Rayadurgam, Etcherla, Kanigiri and others.
Anantapur MP Talari Rangaiah is likely to be fielded for the assembly polls in Kalyanadurgam. MP Margani Bharat will contest from Rajahmundry assembly constituency and Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha from Pithapuram. Several other MPs will be selected for assembly contests in the 2024 elections.
YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the reshuffle of party in-charges in some assembly constituencies was purely an internal exercise, based on surveys intended to achieve better results in the 2024 elections.
