Ongole – A Tough Task For Jagan!

AP CM YS Jagan has been altering and relocating his MLA and MP candidates at will. He has allotted new in-charges for over 69 MLA/MP seats already and is on the brink of adding more changes. However, Jagan is scratching his head about one single seat and that is Ongole MP.

YCP’s sitting MP from Ongole, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy is reportedly not in the good books of Jagan and the plan is to turn him down for 2024 election and field some other candidate. But this rejection is not straightforward for Jagan as he is having to deal with Ongole MLA Balineni Srinivasa Reddy who is his close relative. There is an interlock of the Ongole MLA-MP seat allocation here.

Balineni is a dear friend of Magunta and he is stressing about securing the ticket for the sitting MP. According to reports, Balineni Srinivasa Reddy has put forth a condition that he will contest on a YCP ticket from the Ongole assembly segment only if the party gives the MP ticket to Magunta.

Jagan is not interested in giving the MP ticket to Magunta and on the flip side, Balineni is not willing to contest in the election if Magunta doesn’t get the YCP ticket.

Under usual circumstances, Jagan would have let go off both leaders if he faced such a situation. But in this case, Balineni is a priced associate of Jagan, apart from being a close relative, and he is crucial for YCP not just in Ongole but all of Krishna district. So, Jagan is tolerating the theatricals of Balineni and Magunta for the time being. It should be seen how he deals with the situation in Ongole which is proving to be a tough task for Jagan.