TDP MLA quits party, post

Opposition TDP MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi, one of the party's 23 legislators, on Sunday quit the Telegu Desam and also his post, saying he was doing so to 'safeguard the cadre.' He stated this in a letter to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu. Vamsi, who was elected to the Assembly for a third term from Gannavaram in Krishna district, met Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy two days ago, triggering speculation about his political moves.

"I had the satisfaction of doing commendable and unparalleled public service as a legislator. Now, having been elected again as a legislator, me, my associates and followers are in neck-deep trouble due to the vindictive attitude of local YSR Congress in-charge and partisan attitude of some government employees," he said in the letter. Vamsi said their (associates) problems could compound because of him if he continued as a legislator. But I don't want to resort to other hand twisting tactics due to non-acceptance of my conscience, even though there is a very strong option. Hence I have decided to restrain myself and quit politics to at least to safeguard them," he added.

Accordingly, he was resigning from the MLA's post, as well as the primary membership of TDP, Vamsi said. Vamsi was first elected to the then united AP Assembly in 2004 as a TDP 'rebel'. He lost the 2009 Lok Sabha election as a TDP nominee from Vijayawada by a narrow margin of 10,000 votes.

After the state division, he won the Gannavaram Assembly seat in 2014 and again in May 2019, despite a strong anti-TDP wave. Meanwhile, YSRCs Gannavaram in charge, Yarlagadda Venkat Rao, who lost the May election, strongly opposed plans to induct Vamsi into the ruling party. "For five years as an MLA, Vamsi harassed our party cadre no end. Hundreds of police cases were foisted on them. How can we allow such a person into the party now?" Venkat Rao asked. Rao said he would discuss the issue with YSRC Chief Jagan.