Very Strong Anti-Ambati Wave?

Minister Ambati Rambabu is facing strong dissent from his colleagues in the YCP. Given the opposition from his rivals, there are bleak chances for him to secure the party ticket in the 2024 elections. Rcently, a meeting was held by YCP leader Chitta Vijayabhaskara Reddy in Sattenapalli, the constituency from which Ambati contested in 2019 polls. Though named Atmeeya Sabha, the meeting appeared to be anti-Ambati as it was organised by Chitta, Ambati’s bete noire.

People attended the Atmeeya Sabha in large numbers, reflecting the strong opposition against Ambati. Originally, Ambati’s native constituency is Repalle but in 2019 polls, the YCP boss and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy fielded him from Sattenapalli. With the help and support of the party cadre in the constituency, Ambati emerged victorious and clinched the MLA seat. Since the beginning, there has been talk that Ambati was not being friendly with the party cadre in Sattenapalli.

It is pertinent to note that the YCP cadre had issued a warning to Jagan that they would defeat Ambati if he was given a party ticket from Sattenapalli. Chitta made it clear that he would win the polls as he was a local leader and many in the political circle in the constituency supported him. It is evident that Jagan could have known about the dissent against Ambati in Sattenapalli through the surveys done by his agencies. With such strong opposition in the party, will Jagan issue ticket to Ambati again?

Or will Jagan ignore the internal bickerings in the YCP and issue the ticket as everything is okay in the district? It is true that the party candidates cannot win the elections without the support of the grassroots workers and cadre. No party activist will sit quiet even if he does not take part in the campaign on behalf of the party candidate. If the party activists do not take part in their party programmes, it can be said that they would help the rival candidates.

In the wake of such a situation, will Ambati also face a threat? There is speculation that Ambati might not be able to secure the YCP ticket this time. Or will the YCP send him to his native constituency and ask him to contest from there? Or would Ambati be removed from the MLA post and given the responsibility of campaigning, ahead of the elections?