The list of MLAs all set to ditch the Congress is growing by the day even as the names of seven Ministers figures prominently in the list reportedly compiled by the State Congress leadership.
Initial estimates arrived at by the leadership last month as around 30 MLAs and two or three Ministers.
But, the list is becoming longer with each passing day as more MLAs are coming out openly against the Centre’s decision to bifurcate the State.
Hopelessly placed electorally and facing the people’s wrath, these MLAs may desert the Congress in January.
According to party sources, Ministers eyeing either the YSR Congress or the TDP ticket are – Ganta Srinivasa Rao, T. G. Venkatesh, Erasu Pratap Reddy, S. Vijayarama Raju, Syed Md. Ahmedullah, Kasu Venkata Krishna Reddy and Galla Aruna (son Galla Jayadev is reportedly promised the Lok Sabha ticket by TDP).
In grip of insecurityThe list of deserters among the MLAs is much longer -- Dharmana Prasada Rao, J. Jagannaikulu, Meesala Neelakantam Naidu, Korla Bharati (all Srikakulam), Janardhan Thatraj, Savarapu Jayamani (Vizianagaram), M. Srinivas Rao, Chintalapudi Venkataramaiah, U.V.R.Murthy Raju (Visakhapatnam), Thota Thrimurthulu, Bandaru Satyananda Rao P. Gandhi Mohan (East Godavari), Kothapalli Subbarayudu, P.Ramanjaneyulu and E.V. Madhusudhana Rao (West Godavari), Y. Venkateswar Reddy (Guntur), A. Suresh and Amanchi Krishna Mohan (Prakasam).
Sridhar Krishna Reddy and Adala Prabhakar Reddy (Nellore), C. Adinarayana Reddy, G. Veerashiva Reddy (Kadapa), Shilpa Mohan Reddy, Neeraja Reddy, K. Rambhupal Reddy (Kurnool), J. C. Diwakar Reddy, K. Madhusudan Gupta (Anantapur), Shahjahan Basha (Chittoor).
Already, Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao (Guntur), Rajanna Dora (Vizianagaram), K. Venkatarami Reddy (Anantapur), Katasani Rami Reddy (Kurnool) have joined the YSR Congress.
Awaiting signalMany legislators will quit the ruling party and are just awaiting a signal from YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy to join his party. He has already drawn a list of likely candidates for seats in Seemandhra and is said to be wary of taking into the party fold those facing anti-incumbency in their constituencies.
A few others like Ministers – K. Parthasarathy and Pithani Satyanarayana and half a dozen MLAs are eagerly looking at Chief Minister N.Kiran Kumar Reddy’s next move. They feel that the number of MLAs remaining in the Congress will dwindle further if he launches a new party.
