It is often joked in informal circles that no one can relate to English idioms as much as politicians do. These proverbial realities often find their resonance in the mercurial ways of the netas. Cutting the story short and relating it straight to Andhra Pradesh politics, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, the sulking soul, has just proved to the world what is the meaning of the expression, ‘the return of the prodigal son’.

On Tuesday, Alla Ramakrishna Reddy met Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy at the latter’s Tadepalli residence cum camp office and formally joined the ruling party in the state. YS Jagan fondly welcomed him and formally inducted him into the party’s fold. The meeting marked the return of Ramakrishna Reddy to the party that he adored so much till recently but left it in a huff after being denied the party ticket from Mangalagiri Assembly constituency.

The sensational retreat of Ramakrishna Reddy, within a month of his joining the Congress party, is certain to deal a big blow to the grand-old party and particularly to its recently appointed PCC chief Sharmila.

Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, the sitting MLA from the constituency, was accompanied by his elder brother YSRCP MP Alla Ayodhyarami Reddy during his meeting with YS Jagan. The YSRCP, in its recent shuffling of candidates, preferred BC leader Ganji Chiranjeevi over Ramakrishna Reddy to contest from Mangalagiri in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Ramakrishna Reddy’s return to YSRCP was greeted with boisterous cheers by the party workers in Mangalagiri. They exude the confidence that the party’s victory from this seat is now only going to be a mere walk in the park.

Before his decision to meet YS Jagan, an intense back-room exercise is said to have taken place in placating Alla Ramakrishna Reddy’s anger. His elder brother Alla Ayodhyarami Reddy and party senior functionary V Vijaysai Reddy are believed to have played a key role in deliberating with him. They reportedly convinced him about the need to stay as one unit to defeat the TDP yet again in the constituency.

Ramakrishna Reddy, until his impulsive and emotional decision to leave the YSRCP, was always regarded as a staunch loyalist of YS Jagan. Though aware of this fact, the party leaned towards Chiranjeevi after careful calibration of local caste equations. Mangalagiri has a sizeable population from the weavers’ community to which Chiranjeevi belongs.

Alla Ramakrishna Reddy is a two-time MLA from Mangalagiri, having won the seat in 2014 and 2019 elections. In 2019, he sensationally defeated Chandrababu Naidu’s son and TDP candidate Nara Lokesh in a tight contest. He emerged victorious with a thin margin of a few thousand votes in that election. YS Jagan is also said to be mindful of this fact in his decision to field a BC candidate this time around.