YSRCP troubles worsen as MLA Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy surrenders security

“I have been receiving several threatening and intimidating phone calls after I announced quitting the YSRCP. At this juncture, the government decided to scale down my security instead of increasing it,” he said.

“Fine, I am sending back the remaining gunmen to the government as a return gift. From now on, wherever I go, I will go alone. I’m not afraid. I will go ahead with more enthusiasm. I will raise my voice with more resilience. I know I will face more harassment than Narasapuram MP K Raghurama Krishna Raju. I leave it to my fate,” Sridhar Reddy added.

The audio clip

An audio clip, in which YSRCP leader Borugadda Anil allegedly threatened Sridhar Reddy, went viral on a phone call. Sridhar Reddy played the audio clip to reporters on Saturday, 4 February.

In the clip, Anil is apparently heard asking Reddy why he quit the party, and also warning him of serious consequences if the rebel MLA said anything against YSRCP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

In the recorded audio call, purportedly made by YSRCP leader Borugadda Anil Kumar, he is heard threatening to assault Sridhar Reddy and drag him into the streets if he spoke ill of the YSRCP leadership.

Sridhar Reddy suspected that government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy was behind these calls.

Sridhar Reddy said Ramakrishna Reddy had forgotten his duties as an advisor and was now undertaking “Operation Nellore Rural”.

Abduction case

The Vedayapalem police in the Nellore district booked Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy and two of his aides in the case of the alleged abducting of a YSRCP corporator and coercing him to join quit the ruling party and join the renegade MLA.

Sridhar Reddy, his aide M MUralikrishna Yadav, and driver Ankaiah were booked under Sections 448 and 363, read with Section 34, of the IPC, for trespassing into the home of and abducting Nellore city’s 22nd division corporator M Vijayabhaskar Reddy with criminal intent.

Vijaybhaskar Reddy, in his complaint, said Sridhar Reddy tried to coerce him to leave the YSRCP and join him.

When he refused, the corporator alleged, one of the MLA’s followers and his driver Ankaiah intimidated and abducted him from the Padarupalli area on Friday between 2.30 pm and 3 pm and took him to the MLA.

The corporator stated that he, however, managed to flee and file a case against the MLA at the Vedayapalem Police Station.

However, Sridhar Reddy claimed that he went to Vijayabhaskar’s house to talk to him.

Mayor vows support

Interestingly, Nellore city mayor P Sravanthi has pledged support to Sridhar Reddy.

Sravanthi on Saturday told reporters that she was ready to resign if needed and back the MLA who had decided to part ways with the YSRCP.

She said she owed her political career to Sridhar Reddy, with whom she and her husband P Jayavardhan have been associated for a long time.