CM Jagan names MP Prabhakar Reddy as Nellore rural party in-charge

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy as YSR Congress chief has started taking urgent steps to resolve the internal bickering in the party in Nellore district that has the potential to spread to other districts as well.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with YSRC regional coordinators, legislators and leaders on Thursday and appointed Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy as the party incharge for the Nellore rural segment, in the place of rebel MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy.

Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to field Prabhakar Reddy as YSRC candidate for the 2024 Asembly elections from Nellore rural constituency, effectively showing the door to Sridhar Reddy.

The CM has asked the intelligence wing to conduct a thorough probe into the phone tapping allegations. Officials would check the audio tapes and question the person(s) in the phone call and examine the veracity of the claims of MLA Sridhar Reddy.

The Chief Minister has discussed with his party leaders all aspects relating to the increasing sense of disquiet in the party in Nellore, which was earlier linked to Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy and now to Sridhar Reddy.

After a prolonged meeting, Jagan decided to act tough against the dissident legislators and not give another chance for them to contest the polls on YSRC label.

In the meantime, he wants to strengthen the party in Nellore by making good use of the one-year time it has by appointing another leader as the party incharge.

Thanking the Chief Minister for reposing faith in him, Prabhakar Reddy said he would work hard for the party’s victory in the key Assembly constituency in Nellore district, where the YSRC had bagged all the 10 Assembly seats in 2019.

YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna announced Jagan’s decision to appoint Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy as the incharge of Nellore Rural constituency. “He will contest the Assembly poll from the constituency  and work in Nellore Rural on behalf of the YSRC,” Sajjala said.

Former minister and YSRC regional coordinator Balineni Srinivas Reddy said winning Nellore Rural “is like a cakewalk” for the YSRC. “Chandrababu Naidu gave the assurance of a TD ticket to Sridhar Reddy. After this, Naidu and Sridhar together hatched the conspiracy of phone tapping. They should talk about phone tapping with proof.”

“If the phone tapping was going on for the past two years, why is Sridhar Reddy talking about it only now,” he asked.

Former minister and YSRC MLA Perni Venkataramaiah alias Nani said it was not phone tapping but call-recording. Conversations on phones might be recorded by Sridhar Reddy or his friend during the call, he said.

Perni Nani demanded that all the WhatsApp call data of Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy should be presented before the media to establish the truth.

Former minister Anil Yadav said Sridhar Reddy released only a part of the audio clip. He must release the complete audio clip. “I will resign if Sridhar Reddy proves that the phone was tapped. Sridhar Reddy should quit if the phone tapping was proven to be false.”