Is it splitsville for the TDP-BJP combine? The saffron party’s decision to field former union minister Daggubati Purandeswari and Gokaraju Ranga Raju, who owns a chain of engineering colleges, in Rajampet and Narsapur Lok Sabha constituencies respectively appears to have raised the hackles of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu.
Soon after the BJP indicated it had finalised Purandeswari’s candidature for Rajampet on Wednesday night, the TDP leadership sent feelers to the media that it is upset with the way in which its ally is giving party tickets for seats allotted to it as part of the alliance.
At one point, the TDP even sent signals that Naidu is regretting his decision to join hands with the BJP and that he is contemplating a divorce in Seemandhra - which meant he will continue with the alliance in Telangana.
TDP sources told Express that the BJP leadership’s decision to drop industrialist-turned-politician Raghurama Krishnam Raju and allot the Narsapur ticket to Gokaraju Ranga Raju at the behest of the RSS did not go down well with Naidu as Krishnam Raju is considered close to his family.
Besides, the ongoing protests by TDP workers in constituencies allotted to the BJP in Seemandhra have had Naidu regretting his decision to forge an alliance with the BJP, the sources claimed. Naidu, party insiders said, is of the opinion that the BJP leadership has fielded weak candidates in a majority of the Lok Sabha/Assembly constituencies allotted to it in Seemandhra.
Nonetheless, it seems the TDP leadership is making its displeasure known to exert pressure on the BJP to change its candidates in some segments in Seemandhra as per the wishes of the local TDP leaders.