ANANTAPUR: The uncertainty over the candidates for the next elections in the 14 Assembly constituencies of the erstwhile undivided Anantapur district continues in both the ruling YSRC and the opposition TDP.
Though the ruling party has announced in-charges for two Lok Sabha and seven Assembly constituencies, ticket aspirants have not given up their hopes, as the YSRC leadership is yet to officially announce them as the candidates.
Going by the changes made for Chittoor Lok Sabha and GD Nellore Assembly constituencies in the subsequent lists, even after announcing the in-charges in the earlier lists, the aspirants hope that same may happen in Anantapur too.
On the other hand, confusion has prevailed in the TDP as the seat sharing with the ally Jana Sena Party is yet to be finalised. With the BJP becoming an uncertain factor, the ticket aspirants of the yellow party are in a dilemma what to do next, given that elections are hardly a couple of months away.
According to sources, groups have been formed in the TDP, one supported by TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh, mostly young aspirants, and the other by the party seniors, mostly seasoned politicians.
The tug of war between the two groups is expected with regard to party tickets for the ensuing elections. Besides, there are groups supporting the JSP and the BJP as well. All these groups have become a confusing conundrum giving a big headache to TDP top bosses.
Oneupmanship within the party when it comes to Rayadurg, Kalyandurg, Penukonda, Guntakal, Anantapur, Raptadu, Dharmavaram, Puttaparthi, Kadiri, Madakasira and Singanamala is a worrying factor for the yellow party.
From Raptadu, Prof Rajesh of the Boya community wants to contest, Dharmavaram is being sought by BJP Varadapuram Suri. However, with no clarity, none of the interested candidates are able to commence their poll campaign.
Though BK Parthasarathy and Kalava Srinivasulu are being projected as Lok Sabha candidates from Hindupur and Anantapur respectively, the veterans are maintaining that they want to contest Assembly seats only. JC Diwakar Reddy’s son Pawan Kumar Reddy is maintaining distance, owing to alleged differences with Lokesh.
With the YSRC making a minority leader as in-charge of Kadiri, the TDP is under pressure to allocate one seat for minorities, most likely Anantapur. But at the same time, the JSP is said to be looking for the same Assembly seat.
However, when TNIE was contacted, TDP seniors say the seat sharing exercise is going on smoothly and the leadership has an idea as to whom to field from where in the elections.
“We are on the job. Filtering of the probables is underway. There is no confusion. It will be TDP and its allies in 2024 elections,” maintained Parthasarathy, TDP president of Sri Sathya Sai district.