The YSR Congress Party has suffered another setback in Vizianagaram district, with five Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) members resigning from the party and announcing their decision to join the Telugu Desam Party.
The latest resignations come shortly after the exit of senior YSRCP leader and Vizianagaram Zilla Parishad Chairman Majji Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as Chinna Srinu, who recently quit the YSRCP and joined the TDP in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The five ZPTC members who resigned from the YSRCP on Wednesday are Valireddy Sirisha of Cheepurupalli, Gara Tavudu of Gajapathinagaram, Varri Narasimhamurthy of Gantyada, Kella Srinivasa Rao of Vizianagaram and Nekkal Sridevi of Kothavalasa.
They subsequently announced that they would join the TDP and claimed that more political upheaval could be witnessed within the YSRCP in the district.
The developments have assumed significance with the local body elections approaching. Political activity has intensified across several parts of Andhra Pradesh, with leaders and local representatives reassessing their political alignments ahead of the polls.
Chinna Srinu’s departure has already created considerable political discussion in Vizianagaram. He is the nephew of YSRCP MLC and former minister Botsa Satyanarayana.
His exit, followed by the resignations of the five ZPTC members, has intensified speculation over further defections from the YSRCP in Vizianagaram district.
Sources in the district say more YSRCP functionaries and local-level leaders could announce their political decisions in the coming days.
There is also discussion that a section of the party’s local cadre may move towards the TDP ahead of the local body elections.
