Former Andhra Pradesh minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy and former MLAs Samineni Udaya Bhanu and K. Rosaiah, who quit the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) recently, joined the ruling Jana Sena Party on Thursday.
Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena President Pawan Kalyan welcomed them into the party at a programme held at the party headquarters at Mangalagiri.
Several supporters of the three leaders also joined the Jana Sena. Pawan Kalyan urged the leaders to work to strengthen the party and take its policies to villages.
Srinivas Reddy, who resigned from the YSRCP on September 18, had earlier said that decided to join the JSP at the invitation of Pawan Kalyan without any expectations. A key leader from the Prakasam district, he said he was never after power but only keen to have self-dignity and respect from others. The former minister said he quit the YSRCP after suffering insults and allegations. He claimed that he never asked former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for any favour for his personal gain.
He said despite being close to the YSR family, he opposed the wrong decisions of Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Following his defeat in Ongole in recent Assembly elections, Srinivasa Reddy had demanded a thorough examination of EVMs and cross-checking of VVPAT slips. He was unhappy after Jagan Mohan Reddy dropped him from the Cabinet in 2022 and was reported to be even planning to quit as an MLA. Srinivasa Reddy, who had served as a minister in the cabinet of Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, was miffed over Jagan Mohan Reddy dropping him while retaining many others who were junior to him.
He was particularly sore over the CM retaining Adimulapu Suresh, who also hails from the same district, in the Cabinet. Jagan Mohan Reddy, however, had pacified him and appointed him the regional coordinator of the party.
Uday Bhanu said they left the YSRCP to join the Jana Sena as they wanted to work in the ruling coalition. He vowed to work to strengthen the party. He said they would work to serve people and for the development of the state.
Rosaiah said he joined the Jana Sena as he wanted to be a partner in the state’s development. He said he would strive to strengthen Jana Sena at the grassroots level. He claimed that several leaders from the YSRCP were ready to join the Jana Sena.