The decision of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Rajahmundry Akula Satyanarayana to resign from the party and join the Jana Sena Party headed by actor Pawan Kalyan has come no surprise.
In fact, the mood in the Andhra Pradesh BJP unit indicates that many senior leaders are planning to quit the party.
The recent video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understood to have disappointed these leaders rather than boosting their morale, as he concentrated more on attacking Telugu Desam Party president and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, rather than giving an assurance on the resolving pending promises like Visakhapatnam Railway Zone, Kadapa Steel Plant and Special Category Status to the state.
Satyanarayana told media that the BJP leadership had failed to fulfil three promises made to Andhra Pradesh.
The Centre had ignored the emotions of people and failed to gain the faith of people though it introduced many welfare schemes, he said.
“I am joining Jana Sena on January 21. I felt that Pawan Kalyan is not like any other politician, but has concern for the people,” he said.
A couple of days ago, another senior BJP leader Ch Ramakotaiah resigned from the BJP and announced his intentions to join the TDP.
There are reports that BJP floor leader in the state assembly P Vishnu Kumar Raju and former minister Kamineni Srinivas are also looking towards the TDP, while another former minister P Manikyala Rao might defect into Jana Sena.
On the other hand, former Union minister and BJP Mahila Morcha leader Daggubati Purandeshwari is also planning to join the YSR Congress party along with her son Hitesh Chenchuram Daggubati shortly.
Another former union minister and senior BJP leader Kavuri Sambasiva Rao has gone into a virtual oblivion.
Only leaders like Somu Veerraju and P Vishnu Vardhan Reddy might end up staying back in the BJP before the coming elections.