Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday deftly countered a dissident move in Krishna district after Machilipatnam Congress MLA Perni Venkataramaiah, alias Nani, along with a few other MLAs, openly announced their support for Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The chief minister, who returned from New Delhi on Sunday morning, immediately swung into action and contacted the MLAs and ministers and finally managed to pacify them. After much persuasion, Mr Perni Nani announced that while he would support Jagan and would participate in his present tour in the district, he would not resign his seat.
Mr Nani said that he took the decision following overwhelming demand from leaders and workers of his constituency. “How can I go against their wish? But I will not resign to my seat,” Mr Nani told this correspondent.
Meanwhile, the Pedana MLA, Mr Jogi Ramesh, held a meeting with leaders and supporters from his constituency who also demanded that the MLA support Jagan.
Former Vijayawada mayor Tadi Sakuntala, former MLA Nuzvid, Meka Pratap Apparao, the former MLA from Vijayawada, Mr Jaleel Khan, and the former Mylavaram MLA, Mr J. Ramesh Babu, on Sunday also announced their support for Jagan.
Reports from Chittoor, the home district of Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, stated that the former minister and Gangadhara Nellore MLA, Ms G. Kutuhalamma, and the Puthalapattu MLA, Dr P. Ravi, were also being contacted by Jagan supporters for extending their support.