Pic Talk: A Dagger To Hearts Of YS Loyalists

It is common for a political party to lose its leaders after facing a defeat in the election. But the problem is with losing decades-long loyalists who have been with the party through thick and thin.

This is exactly what is happening with YSR Congress now as Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, a hardcore YSR follower has quit the party. The 5-time MLA has met AP deputy CM Pawan Kalyan today and is set to join JanaSena very soon.

Balineni had been with the YS family since 1999 when he first won as an MLA on Congress ticket. He walked with Jagan after he quit Congress and established YCP. Despite a defeat in 2014, Balineni won in 2019, before losing again in 2024.

While Balineni might have had his issue with Jagan over ticket allocation and cabinet ministry, he is a hardcore YSR follower and that’s beyond doubt. However, he too is vexed with Jagan’s method of operation and is shifting to Janasena.

The picture of Balineni meeting Pawan and greeting him could be seen as a dagger to hearts if YSR loyalists as not even in their worst dreams would they have imagined Balineni leaving YS family’s side.