Vijayawada: YSRC leader Yarlagadda Venkata Rao of Gannavaram assembly constituency, who lost the election in 2019, has decided to leave the ruling party and join the opposition Telugu Desam.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Venkata Rao openly requested TD chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu to give him a chance to contest from Gannavaram on TD ticket in the coming elections. “I will win the seat,” he declared.
Significantly, Vallbhaneni Vamsi, who was elected as MLA from TD in 2019 election from Gannavaram, changed his loyalties to YSRC. This led to forming of groups within the ruling party in Gannavaram. It has now peaked on the eve of 2024 assembly elections.
After sensing that the YSRC ticket from Gannavaram will go to MLA Vamsi in 2024 elections, Venkata Rao tried to get an appointment with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. But his efforts went in vain.
He said, ''Despite having an American Green Card, I returned to Gannavaram with a passion for politics. I went door to door during Jagan Mohan Reddy’s padayatra as opposition leader. Even though I lost from Gannavaram on YSRC’s ticket, cadres who worked with me have not been given any posts. Yet, I strived hard for YSRC in the Gannavaram constituency. I have never met Chandrababu Naidu, Lokesh or Devineni Umamaheswara Rao. But YSRC leaders are making false accusations against me. Now, I have decided to join TD. If it gives me a ticket, I will win Gannavaram,” he asserted.
According to followers of Venkata Rao, the US-returnee will meet Nara Lokesh on August 19 during the latter’s “Yuvagalam Padayatra” in Vijayawada. He is likely to join TD on August 22, when the walkathon reaches Gannavaram.
