Senior YSRCP leader to hang his boots in 2024?

Senior YSRCP leader Dharmana Prasada Rao has announced retirement from active electoral politics. On Saturday, he said that he has had enough of the rough and tumble of electoral politics and said that he would not be contesting the 2024 elections. He, however, said that he would continue to work for the YSRCP.

The announcement came amid inspired media leaks that Dharmana may not be given the party ticket this time in view of the high anti-incumbency. Sources in the YSRCP say that his name figures among the 30 MLAs, who are highly unpopular and may lose their seats if they contest this time. There were also reports that Dharmana would be made an MP candidate instead of an MLA.

Dharmana has been in active politics for over 40 years and has entered politics at quite a young age. He has contested as many as 12 elections and represented his constituency for five times. What more, he has served as a minister under Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, Kotla Vijayabhaskar Reddy, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, K Rosaiah and N Kiran Kumar Reddy.

Dharmana has been quite unhappy for the past few years at being sidelined in the YSRCP. Jagan did not make him a minister and made his brother, Dharmana Krishna Das, a minister instead. Even Krishna Das lost his post in the last cabinet reshuffle. Dharmana has been for some time making statements that ruffle quite a few feathers in the YSRCP establishment.