Internal squabble among JSP cadres resurfaces, with local leaders continuing to oppose the proposal to allot the party ticket for Visakhapatnam South Assembly constituency to its city president and MLC Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav.
Some JSP leaders from the constituency have organised a series of protests, demanding that the party give the ticket to locals.
A protest organised by supporters of JSP corporator for Ward 39, Mohammed Sadiq, on March 20 (Wednesday), led to a clash between his and Mr. Yadav’s supporters, prompting the police to intervene.
Only two days ago, on March 18 (Monday), Mr. Sadiq and a few local JSP leaders urged the party high command to reconsider its decision to allot the ticket to Mr. Vamsi via a press conference. On Tuesday, they continue the protest by releasing black balloons.
On Wednesday, the JSP activists and supporters of Mr. Sadiq have staged a unique protest parading a ‘sacrificial goat’ here in One Town. They demanded the JSP field a strong candidate to compete with YSRCP’s sitting MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar in the elections. They alleged that Mr. Yadav had a poor track record in elections and was not a known face in the constituency.
“Vamsi Krishna Yadav has contested in the Visakhapatnam East Assembly constituency during the 2009 and 2014 elections and lost both times, despite the advantage of having a huge number of voters from his community. Considering this, he was not allotted a ticket by the YSRCP in 2019. But now, if the JSP allots the South constituency ticket to him, it would guarantee a cakewalk victory for the YSRCP, which is fielding a strong local candidate, a three-time MLA belonging to the fishermen community. If the JSP wants to win, the leaders must re-consider their decision,” said a protestor.
The protestors also condemned Mr. Yadav for allegedly claiming to be the MLA candidate and launching a campaign in some wards without an official announcement from JSP high command.
Meanwhile, a ruckus erupted when some of Mr. Yadav’s supporters tried to stop the protest, which led to an exchange of heated words. Some women protestors informed the media that Mr. Yadav’s supporters had manhandled them and alleged that Mr. Yadav introduced rowdy culture in the constituency.
On the other hand, Mr. Yadav’s supporters have alleged that corporator Mohammed Sadiq has been working as a covert for the ruling YSRCP.
Responding to the incident, a senior JSP leader said the ongoing situation in the South constituency had already come to the notice of the party’s high command, which may intervene.
He also said: “The party’s decision should be respected and welcomed by all the cadre. If they have any issue, they can communicate it with the high command. But staging protests and coming onto the roads will hit the image of the JSP.”
It may be noted that both Mohammed Sadiq and Vamsi Krishna Yadav were former YSRCP leaders.
