Whenever a prominent leader from an opposition party joins the ruling party, the usual explanation is that the move was made without any conditions and only for the development of the constituency or region.
Majji Srinivasa Rao, popularly known as Chinna Srinu and nephew of former Andhra Pradesh minister Botsa Satyanarayana, has given a similar explanation after joining the ruling Telugu Desam Party.
He said he had joined the TDP without placing any conditions or seeking any specific position. Chinna Srinu maintained that he had entered the party simply as a worker and was prepared to take up any responsibility assigned by TDP president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu or party working president Nara Lokesh.
He also said his decision to join the TDP was driven by a desire to contribute to the development of North Andhra, adding that the ruling coalition government was working towards addressing the region’s backwardness.
However, political observers are taking his claims with a pinch of salt, considering that Chinna Srinu was an important YSRCP leader in North Andhra. He served as chairman of the Vizianagaram Zilla Parishad and also held the posts of Vizianagaram district YSRCP president and YSRCP in-charge of the Bhimili Assembly constituency.
According to a party source, had he remained with the YSRCP, party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy might have considered him for an Assembly ticket in the future.
“But it appears Chinna Srinu was apprehensive that Botsa Satyanarayana might not allow him to grow in the party, as Botsa was planning to promote his daughter, Botsa Anusha,” the source said.
TDP sources, meanwhile, claim that Chinna Srinu is learnt to have sought the party’s support for his daughter, Siri Sahasra, for the Zilla Parishad chairperson post, elections for which are expected to be held shortly. He is also said to have sought ZPTC tickets for a few of his followers.
“It appears Botsa Satyanarayana is lobbying for a YSRCP ticket for his daughter for the ZP chairperson post. This reportedly did not go down well with Chinna Srinu, who may have joined the TDP hoping to secure the same position for his own daughter,” sources said.
For now, however, these claims remain political speculation, as Chinna Srinu has publicly maintained that he joined the TDP without any conditions or demands.
