N Chandrababu Naidu on TDP MLA's resignation: 'Not correct solution'

Telugu Desam Party MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi, who resigned from the party and his post on Sunday, stuck to his guns on Monday even as TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu wrote back saying "resigning or quitting politics is not correct solution."

Vallabhaneni Vamsi decides to quit

Vamsi wrote a letter to Naidu on Sunday saying he decided to "quit politics" to safeguard the (party) cadre."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 troubles due to the vindictive attitude of local YSR Congress in-charge and partisan attitude of some government employees," Vamsi noted in the letter to Naidu.

He said their (associates) problems could compound because of him if he continued as a legislator. Replying to this, Naidu wrote back saying, "I think resigning or quitting politics is not the correct solution." "Let me reaffirm that you quitting politics will not stop the harassment and vindictive political actions unleashed by the YSRCP and their stooges in the government. It is our responsibility to fight against such unconstitutional and undemocratic methods of the present government by bringing awareness among the public." "Therefore, in the interest of the future generation, safeguarding and upholding the democratic values, we have to fight the injustice of the present government, the TDP chief added.

Naidu assured that he and the party would "stand by you wholeheartedly and unconditionally" in the fight against high-handedness of the present government. "Always remember that whenever injustice is meted out, we have to fight instead of giving up," he added. Responding to this, Vamsi thanked the TDP president for "appreciating my concerns."

"I sincerely thank you for standing by me. But, I would not like to prolong the issue. I hope you would pardon me if I had inadvertently overstepped my brief," he said. Vamsi, who was elected to the Assembly for a third term from Gannavaram in Krishna district, met Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy three days ago, triggering speculation about his political moves.

He 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 margin of 10,000 votes. After the state's division, he won the Gannavaram Assembly seat in 2014 and again in May 2019, despite a strong anti-TDP wave.

Meanwhile, YSRC's Gannavaram in charge, Yarlagadda Venkat Rao, who lost the May election, is strongly opposing Vamsi's possible entry 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 questioned. Rao said he would discuss the issue with YSRC chief.

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