Amaravati: The reconstitution of the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has triggered a rebellion in the ruling YSR Congress on an unprecedented scale. Party workers took to the streets Monday and organised protests in many districts. Former Andhra Pradesh Home Minister M Sucharita, who was denied a second stint, submitted her resignation as MLA. She held a meeting with the party workers in Guntur, at the same time the new Cabinet was being inducted. Sucharita told them she was quitting as a legislator ‘due to personal reasons’.
Sucharita was peeved over not being re-inducted into the Cabinet when fellow Dalits like T Vanita and others retained in the Cabinet. She handed over her resignation letter to Rajya Sabha member Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, who went to her residence in Guntur to placate her. Sucharita, however, claimed she was not unhappy over not getting a second chance. She said she would continue in the party.
Another former minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, who was the first to trigger the rebellion Sunday, sent a message to the YSRC leadership that he would step down from his MLA post.
Balineni’s supporters organised road blockades in Ongole and some other parts of Prakasam district. They demanded that he be re-inducted into the Cabinet.
Elected representatives of local bodies, including the Ongole Municipal Corporation, threatened to quit their posts if Balineni was not made a minister again.
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YSRC general secretary SRK Reddy visited Balineni’s residence Sunday in Vijayawada twice and held talks. However he, but failed to pacify the leader. Reddy came rushing to Balineni once again Monday as the latter decided to make a public announcement of his resignation plan. Three other legislators were also closeted with Balineni in a bid to mollify him. However, sources said that Balineni is determined to quit if he does not find a place in the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet.
Balineni, a relative of the Chief Minister, was among the first to resign as a minister from the Kiran Kumar Reddy Cabinet and the Congress. He then joined the YSRC floated by Jagan Mohan Reddy.
In Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao district, followers of Jaggaiahpet MLA Samineni Udayabhanu burnt a two-wheeler and tires and staged a rasta-roko, blocking traffic on the busy National Highway-65, protesting denial of a Cabinet berth for their leader. He was denied a berth because of a ‘coterie’ around Jagan Mohan Reddy, Udayabhanu lamented.
In Palnadu district, four-time MLA Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy went incommunicado. Sources said that he is sulking over denial of minister’s post. His supporters held protests in Macherla constituency.