TDP determined to sap life out of YSRC in north Andhra

Vijayawada: The spate of defections, which began with the crossover of Kalamati Venkataramna (Patapatam) from Srikakulam district is all set to take the TDP-YSRC turf war to a new level in the north coastal districts. The stage is said to be set for defection of Bobbili MLA Sujayakrishna Ranga Rao from Saluru in Vizianagaram district in a day or two in the city in the presence of chief minister and party president N Chandrababu Naidu.
Speculations are doing the rounds over Pushpa Srivani (Kurbam) and Pidugu Rajanna Dora (Saluru) from the same district bidding an adieu to YSRC within a short time. TDP state president Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao is said to be playing key role in engineering defections from the YSRC in north coastal Andhra.
The ruling TDP appears to be in a desperate mode to draw the much-needed strength from defections to overcome its leadership handicaps in the north coastal districts with special reference to Vizianagaram. Sujaykrishna Ranga Rao is seen as a ray of hope by the TDP to take on YSRC's Botsa Satyanarayana. Although rural development minister Kimidi Mrunalini, representing Cheepurupalli, is said to be not able to lead the party effectively in its combat against YSRC regional satrap Botsa. Mrunalini, a close relative of Kala Venkata Rao, is allegedly failing to take on board the party rank and file.
"We are left with no choice but to heavily depend on defectors and Sujay will surely bell the cat," a senior TDP leader from the region commented. In Visakhapatnam, the TDP pinned hopes on the sulking YSRC leader Konatala Ramakrishna who deferred his defection plans in the last minute to strengthen itself in Visakhapatnam district.
Of the 34 assembly segments from the three north coastal Andhra region, YSRC secured nine in the previous elections. It is alleged that the TDP is in a spree of defections in an attempt to divert the public attention from the growing discontent against the BJP-TDP rule at the Centre and in the state over the alleged unfulfilled promises which include a special package for development of the backward region, railway zone etc which were delivered by the ruling combine at the time of elections.