ANANTAPUR: With battle lines drawn for the ballot war in 2024, the ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP are not leaving any stone unturned in the erstwhile undivided Anantapur district. However, what they are now facing is not the battle heat of elections, but the inner unrest caused by dissidents within the party.
As this will have an adverse impact on the party cadres at the grassroots, dissidence has become a cause for concern for the YSRC and TDP leadership. The ruling party, which launched door-to-door campaign in the name of ‘Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutavam’ several months ago with an eye on the Assembly elections, has now taken up Samajika Sadhikara Bus Yatra.
On the other hand, the TDP has focused on its social media blitzkrieg criticising the ruling party and its ‘oppressive measures’. This step of the yellow party seems to have widened the gap between the leaders and the party workers in the district.
If the situation is analysed constituency-wise, in Rayadurgam, incumbent Kapu Ramachandra Reddy is facing severe criticism form his party cadres and there is an anti-establishment factor. TDP leader Kalava Srinivasulu, who is assumed to be the MLA candidate of the party in 2024, is reported to be not available to party activists and paying attention to a few, disregarding others.
In Kalyandurgam, Minister KV Usha Shri Charan is accused of working only for commissions, besides facing dissidence. The TDP has been hit by internal tussle between former MLA U Hanumantharaya Chowdary and constituency incharge M Umamaheswara Naidu, distressing party cadre. In Guntakal, a rat race for the party ticket among many aspirants is creating a severe headache for the top TDP leadership, while the ruling YSRC too is marred by internal disturbance in the constituency.
In Tadipatri, the ruling party is facing trouble with the sitting MLA Kethireddy Pedda Reddy being accused of turning political affairs in the constituency as his family matters. In Kadiri, there is a rat race among TDP ticket aspirants, weakening the party structure. The incumbent PV Sidda Reddy of YSRC is confronted by internal opposition from the cadres for maintaining distance with them.
In Puttaparthi, the ruling YSRC has confronted the problem of too many aspirants for the seat. The incumbent D Sreedhar Reddy is facing dissidence in the party. With the TDP cadre not happy with the attitude of former MLA Palle Raghunatha Reddy, the rat race for ticket has begun in the party.
In Penukonda, there is severe dissidence within the party against former minister M Shankar Narayana as he is accused of nepotism. On the other hand, the TDP is hit by internal tussle between former MLAs Paritala Sunitha and BK Parthasarathi.
In Dharmavaram, Partiala Sriram of TDP is facing non-local problem with most of the party cadre left with former TDP strongman of the region Varadapuram Suryanarayana, who joined the BJP after 2019 elections. Though the sitting MLA Kethireddy Venkatarami Reddy is facing dissidence, the TDP is unable to encash it.
In Hindupur, cinema glamour dominates development issues and the sitting TDP MLA N Balakrishna is not worried as the ruling party is not united in the Assembly constituency.After Deepa Venugopal Reddy was made constituency in-charge, she is facing non-local issue, with locals no cooperating with her.
In Raptadu, Paritala family is aspiring for the ticket, while talk is that Prof Rajesh, a close associate of Nara Lokesh, is also in the race. A BC leader is likely to be given party ticket in the constituency by the YSRC.
Anantapur urban MLA Anantha Vankatarami Reddy is also confronted by dissidence within the party and the same is the case with the TDP. In Singamanala, there is dissidence against the sitting MLA Jonnalagadda Padmavati and the TDP is not an exception. The situation is no different in Madakasira with sitting MLA Thippeswamy facing dissidence within and outside the party.
Samajika Sadhikara Yatra to reach out to people
The ruling YSRC, which launched door-to-door campaign in the name of ‘Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutavam’ several months ago with an eye on the Assembly elections, has now taken up Samajika Sadhikara Bus Yatra to reach out to the people by focusing on welfare and social empowerment