Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy in high demand as BJP, Congress woo him in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Former Khammam MP and suspended BRS leader Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy is much in demand these days. Both Congress and BJP see him as a ‘game changer’ in the coming assembly elections, especially in erstwhile Khammam district where even the BRS is still trying to extend its footprint.
Congress, Left parties and TDP in the past have fared reasonably well in the district and continue to hold sway, while Srinivas Reddy, who won as a YSR Congress candidate in 2014 elections, still enjoys considerable support among his followers. Sources said he is busy getting reports from each constituency in the district and is even preparing to undertake a padayatra.
“With the exception of senior leaders like Bhatti Vikramarka and Renuka Chowdhury, Congress does not have many leaders in Khammam district now. BRS has its own share of internal squabbles. These factors are helping Srinivas Reddy immensely, but he is buying his own time before deciding on which party to join,” said sources.
Srinivas Reddy’s clout in the district is undeniable, say his supporters. After bifurcation of the state in 2014, he not only won the MP seat but also ensured three assembly seat wins for YSRCP which ironically opposed Andhra Pradesh’s division.
He joined BRS in 2018 but was denied the MP ticket in 2019 general elections. In the last two years, he was totally ignored by the party leadership and suspended recently.
According to sources, despite his mass appeal and following in the district, if Srinivas Reddy joins the BJP, his support base among left parties’ sympathisers will erode which could affect the saffron party’s chances. “Alliance between the Left and the BRS helped the latter win the Munugode by-election and a similar pact in Khammam could come in handy for BRS to score big in the coming elections,” sources said.
With a strong presence of supporters of left-wing ideologies and parties, the saffron party, which could never break the shackles in the district, may still find it difficult to stay afloat, analysts said.