Jagan’s K-scare to TDP

V V Balakrishna
Last Updated : 06 May 2012 08:28:37 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Though, caste is not an uncommon factor in Andhra Pradesh politics, the division has become well defined in the run up to 2014 elections. YSR Congress Party which has the Reddy caste tag is now wooing Kammas from Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which has an affinity with the Kammas. YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy represents the Reddy caste, while TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is from Kamma and cine actor Chiranjeevi who merged his Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) with Congress represents another numerically strong Kapu caste.
With votes of three dominant castes being divided among three major political parties, now Jagan is trying to woo Kamma leaders from TDP in Krishna and Guntur districts under ‘Operation K—Kamma’.Chandrababu Naidu’s cold war with TDP Rajya Sabha MP and N T Rama Rao’s third son Nandamuri Harikrishna and his son NTR Jr has come in handy for Jagan to aggressively execute its ‘Operation K’. Differences crept into them during the TDP’s annual conclave Mahandu in May 2011. In the party conclave TDP activists tried to project Chandrababu Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh Naidu as future leader. This upset Harikrishna and NTR Jr; they were miffed with Chandrababu Naidu’s attitude. Harikrishna too is angry with Naidu’s choice of Rajya Sabha candidates in the recent elections. Harikrishna also could not digest the fact that his brother and cine actor Nandamuri Balakrishna was given more importance in the party. While, Harikrishna is attending party meetings occasionally, NTR Jr has distanced himself with TDP and its chief Naidu.Cashing in on the differences within the TDP, YSRCP is luring several Kamma leaders, whose affinity is for the Telugu Desam, in order to strengthen its base in Krishna and Guntur districts which are the strongholds of Kammas. This is seen as the reason behind Jagan hugging TDP Vijayawada Urban unit president and NTR Jr’s close follower Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, a Kamma, in full public glare.Kodali Nani, MLA and another close follower of Harikrishna and his actor-son, seems to have counselled Vamsi to hold his horses. But, according to sources, Vamsi is firm and is likely to make some positive remarks on Jagan in his written explanation in reply to the show-cause notice issued by the TDP. Now it is amply clear that the hug on the road was not just an accident but pre-planned, the sources said.But, the Vamsi incident is not the first fallout of YSRCP’s ‘Operation K’. When YSRCP was launched, it lured Makineni Peda Rattaiah, another prominent Kamma leader of TDP from Guntur who had strained relations with TDP chief Naidu. But Rathaiah’s honeymoon with Jagan did not last long and he quit the YSRCP. Now, the YSRCP is sending feelers to another Kamma leader in Guntur district with the offer of a Lok Sabha seat. If the leader, who has some personal image, joins the YSRCP, it will be a big catch for Jagan.At Tenali in Guntur district, Nannapaneni Rajakumari’s daughter and son-in-law have joined the YSRCP, which made Chandrababu Naidu sideline her in the TDP.NTR's daughter Daggubati Purandeswari is in the Congress and holding an important ministerial post at the Centre. In north coastal Andhra, Gadde Babu Rao has already quit the TDP and has joined the YSRCP. Another Kamma leader and former MLA Gottipati Narasiah from Martur in Prakasam district too is about to join YSRCP. Veteran actor from Kamma caste Giribabu had already joined YSRCP.Alarmed by Jagan’s attempts to wean Kammas from the TDP, Chandrbabu Naidu has embarked on a counter strategy as part of which he has met veteran actor Mohan Babu in Tirupati. Not surprisingly, both of them praised each other. When Mohan Babu almost decided to join the TDP, Jagan entered the scene to ruin Naidu’s plan. He and his wife Bharati visited Mohan Babu’s residence on Sunday. With Mohan Babu and Jagan having family relations, Mohan Babu has to choose between YSRCP and TDP.A section of Kamma leaders are sore with Naidu for their neglect. And Jagan is keen on fishing in the troubled waters. Sources said Jagan is casting his net far and wide for potential Kamma leaders in the Congress too.With major players Chiranjeevi, Jagan and Naidu representing three dominant castes in the state, the general election in 2014 is likely to be fought on caste lines and will prove costly for YSRCP in a majority of constituencies. This explains Jagan’s desperation to lure Kammas into his party.