Sitting, Former MLAs Clash Turns Intense In Kollapur

If there is one constituency that is proving to be a real headache for the TRS top leadership, then it should be Kollapur assembly constituency. The constituency has two leaders vying for dominance. One is former Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who was defeated in 2018 elections and the other one is Harshvardhan Reddy, who defeated him on a Congress ticket and later joined the TRS.

Jupally is strongly opposed to Harshvardhan emerging as the central figure in the constituency politics. He feels threatened that every leader who matters goes to him for the official works and Harshvardhan is calling the shots. He feels that if the same trend continues, then Harshvardhan will become the party nominee in 2023 and will deny him his due. Even in the panchayat and municipal elections,  Jupally had put up rival candidates and ensured their victory. But despite this, the issue of leadership has not been settled.

Political observers say that the Jupally-Reddy war is threatening to damage the party. The groupism is  so intense that the grassroots level leaders are finding it difficult coping with the pressures from both the leaders. In recent times , at least two MPPs have resigned their posts unable to put up with the pressures from Jupally and Harshvardhan. Kollapur MPP Sudharani and Koderu MPP Radha have sent in their resignations unable to put up with the pressures from both the rivals.