In a setback to the opposition YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh, party’s women wing president and state legislative council member Pothula Sunitha on Wednesday resigned from the primary membership of the party and also her council membership.
Sunitha, who hails from Chirala constituency in Bapatla district, submitted her resignation letter to party president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, stating that she had taken the decision due to personal reasons.
She also sent a separate letter to state legislative council chairman Koyya Moshen Raju, stating that she was resigning from her legislative council membership. “I shall disclose my future course of action after discussing with my supporters and followers,” she told reporters in Chirala.
Sunitha and her husband Pothula Suresh, both ex-Naxalites, were originally in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and were close followers of former minister and TDP leader Paritala Ravi, who was killed in a faction feud in 2005.
In 2017, Sunitha was nominated as the MLC by TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu. But in 2020, she resigned from the party and her MLC seat, though she still had three years’ tenure in the council and joined the YSRCP.
Jagan made her MLC again in 2021 under MLAs’ quota. As her term ended in March 2023, she was nominated again as the MLC for the third term. Later, she was also made the president of YSRCP women’s wing.
{{/usCountry}}Jagan made her MLC again in 2021 under MLAs’ quota. As her term ended in March 2023, she was nominated again as the MLC for the third term. Later, she was also made the president of YSRCP women’s wing.
{{/usCountry}}Now with the YSRCP losing power, Sunitha is learnt to have decided to quit the YSRCP and return to her parent party.
Meanwhile, people familiar with the developments in the YSRCP said at least two Rajya Sabha members - Mopidevi Venkataramana and Beeda Mastan Rao are all set to quit the party on Thursday and join the Telugu Desam Party soon.
Venkataramana, who had earlier been in the Congress and a minister in the cabinet of late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy between 2004 and 2009, indicated to his supporters that he would resign from the party. He is also planning to tender his resignation from the Rajya Sabha membership.
Similarly, Mastan Rao, who was made Rajya Sabha member in 2022, has also decided to resign from the party, along with Mopidevi. He is also planning to give up his Rajya Sabha membership.
Interestingly, another senior leader and former deputy chief minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Alla Nani from Eluru, who recently resigned from the party and its posts, is also likely to join the TDP shortly.