Another jolt to YSRCP as Andhra minister quits party to join TDP

Vijayawada, March 5: In another jolt to the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) ahead of Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, state Labour and Employment Minister, Gummanur Jayaram on Tuesday resigned from the party and announced that he would be joining the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) soon.

The leader told media persons here that he had resigned as a minister as well as from the primary membership of the YSRCP and would join the TDP to contest the Assembly election on their ticket from Guntakal constituency.

He said YSRCP President and Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, had asked him to contest the Lok Sabha elections, but he refused the offer.

“As the YSRCP assigned another candidate for my constituency (Alur), I felt hurt and left the party,” he said.

Gummanur Jayaram said TDP President, N Chandrababu Naidu, asked him whether he wanted to contest from Kurnool or Anantapur, but he chose Guntakal as he wanted to serve the region where he was born.

The leader denied that he held discussions with the Congress Party.

“I have no attachment with DK Shivakumar or the Congress Party. As my brother is a minister in Karnataka, I meet my brother and discuss our personal matters as both our constituencies are next to each other on the border,” he said.

Replying to a query, he said the Backward Classes (BCs) may have received importance in some aspects but they were neglected in many aspects under YSRCP’s rule.

He disputed CM Jagan Mohan Reddy’s claims that he was doing justice to SCs, STs, and BCs.

“The united Kurnool District has 14 Assembly constituencies. People have to ask themselves who got justice in these constituencies,” he said.

He claimed that CM Jagan Mohan Reddy was taking all decisions on the advice of Dhanunjaya Reddy and Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy.

“These two priests are doing justice to their community, but not to the devotees (people),” remarked Gummanur Jayaram.

The leader alleged that his constituency did not get due attention from the YSRCP Government in the last five years.