In a major political jolt to the YSR Congress Party, senior MLC Zakia Khanam has officially resigned from the party. Her exit is particularly significant because she served as the Deputy Chairperson of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council, a post she has also stepped down from.
What makes this resignation more impactful is the fact that Zakia hails from Rayachoti in the Kadapa region, which is the home turf of YSRCP chief and former CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Back in 2019, Jagan had handpicked her for the MLC role and later elevated her to the Deputy Chairperson position in the Council. She was seen as one of the trusted faces in his political circle.
However, over the past year, Zakia gradually distanced herself from the party. Following the 2024 election debacle, where YSRCP suffered a heavy defeat, her disconnection from the party became more evident. Her resignation now officially cuts YSRCP’s strength in the Council and removes one of its key leadership positions in the House.
Sources say Zakia Khanam is likely to join the BJP on Wednesday afternoon. She is believed to have already held talks with BJP State President Purandeswari, Minister Satya Kumar, and Jammalamadugu MLA Adinarayana Reddy. The buzz is that she received the green signal from BJP leadership before making her resignation official.
As the YSRCP continues to weaken post-elections and parties in the NDA alliance grow stronger, more such political switches are expected in the coming days. Zakia’s exit could be just the beginning of a larger exodus from the party.
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