Turncoats in AP: Some bite the dust, a few gain

: Voters literally threw out some of the turncoats in the general elections in Andhra Pradesh. A few others were lucky to win their constituencies over, both in the assembly and Lok Sabha contests.

A bunch of MLAs, who defected from the YSR Congress to the Telugu Desam Party between 2016 and 2018, was made to bite the dust.

Another who switched sides on the eve of the polls was also defeated.

Prominent among the turncoats defectors from YSRC to TDP who lost were four ministers in the Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet.

Minister Ch Adinarayana Reddy lost the contest from Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency.

Ministers N Amarnath Reddy, Bhuma Akhila Priya and Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao were trounced in Palamaneru, Allagadda and Bobbili assembly segments respectively.

 

The other losers were K Venkata Ramana, Giddi Eeswari, Jyothula Nehru, V Rajeswari, U Kalpana, Gouru Charita Reddy, M Ashok Reddy, Pothula Rama Rao, Budda Rajasekhar Reddy and P Sunil Kumar.

Another turncoat Jaleel Khan fielded his daughter this time, but she lost.

Jaya Ramulu, who switched from YSRC to TDP and later to the BJP, lost his Badvel seat, forfeiting the security deposit.

Another notable loser was Amanchi Krishna Mohan from Chirala. He was a Congress MLA in 2009 and was elected on behalf of Navodayam Party in 2014.

Later, he defected to the TDP, and days before the 2019 election crossed over to the YSRC.

But Mohan was unlucky the third time.

Sitting TDP MP M Srinivasa Rao (Avanti Srinivas), who switched over to the YSRC on the eve of the elections, won the Bhimili assembly seat.

Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy, who returned to the YSRC from the TDP, managed to retain his Rajampet seat.

Similarly, Gottipati Ravikumar (YSRC to TDP) won his Addanki seat.

Known as a party-hopper, former MP Vanga Geeta joined the YSRC a few days ahead of the election nomination process after being in political hibernation for some time.

She contested the Kakinada Lok Sabha seat and won it comfortably, interestingly against another turncoat Ch Sunil.

Adala Prabhakar Reddy jumped over to the YSRC just hours after he was fielded by TDP from Nellore Rural (Assembly) segment. He fought the parliamentary election from Nellore and scored a thumping victory over his TDP rival.

Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy was another who tasted victory even after switching sides from TDP to YSRC. He won the Ongole Lok Sabha seat.

Sitting MLA Modugula Venugopal Reddy was unlucky, as he lost the Guntur Lok Sabha contest. He was a TDP MLA and defected to the YSRC.

Veteran Congress leader and former Union Minister Kishore Chandra Deo joined the TDP on the eve of the polls and contested his old Araku (ST) Lok Sabha seat.

His daughter Shruti Devi was also in the race as Congress nominee. Both lost.

Former Union Ministers Panabaka Lakshmi and Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, who joined the TDP from the Congress, also had to face defeat in Tirupati and Kurnool parliamentary segments.