VISHAKAPATNAM: In a setback to the Telugu Desam Party, influential leader Ganji Chiranjeevi from Mangalagiri assembly constituency in Guntur district joined the YSRC in the presence of Chief Minister Jagan Reddy on Monday.
Chiranjeevi, who belongs to the BC handloom weaver’s community, lost the 2014 polls as a TDP candidate against Alla Ramakrishna from the YSRC by a narrow margin of 12 votes. In the 2019 polls, Chiranjeevi sacrificed the TDP seat for Nara Lokesh, but the YSRC again won the seat with a margin of 5312 votes.
Chiranjeevi started criticising TDP a few months ago and claimed that the party was not giving him any prominence. In the sudden political move, he left the TDP and joined the ruling party.
Soon after this, Chiranjeevi's first announcement was that he would contest the 2024 elections as YSRC nominee from Mangalagiri. “I lost by 12 votes, but Lokesh lost by 5312 votes on a TDP ticket. I will contest in 2024 to repeat what happened in 2019. I will ensure a bumper majority to YSRC in the next assembly,” Chiranjeevi said.
Chiranjeevi's exit would cause a headache to TDP vis-a-vis Nara Lokesh’s future. At present, the main leaders of the party are focusing on Mangalagiri.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a TDP leader said “Chiranjeevi is not only a headache for us but he will be so for Jagan too. Jagan will be in a dilemma to choose between sitting MLA Alla and Chiranjeevi. However, admittedly, Chiranjeevi has a strong network in Mangalagiri.”
Another TDP leader said TDP's focus would be on Mangalagiri. Naidu took a break after touring his home constituency, Kuppam, recently. Party sources said that Naidu would visit his son's assembly segment of Mangalagiri after Ganesh Chaturthi.
Stated a YSRC leader, “Jagan’s move will be different. It is not a matter of Chiranjeevi or Alla. Jagan’s ultimate goal is to defeat Lokesh if he contests from Mangalagiri again.”
