RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM : Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday hinted at fielding his party’s East Godavari district president Kandula Durgesh from Rajamahendravaram Rural Assembly seat in the upcoming elections.
Though the announcement was made at a closed door meeting with the party senior leaders from the district, it left sitting TDP MLA and senior leader Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary in a fix. Less than a month ago, Pawan Kalyan announced that the party would contest the Rajamahendravaram Rural and Rajanagaram seats in alliance with the TDP.
Butchaiah Chowdary reportedly tried to convince the TDP leadership not to leave the seat to the JSP or else he should be allowed to contest the Rajamahendravaram City seat, which he had held earlier. Sources said the party offered him the Rajamahendravaram MP seat which he turned down.
The party is against accommodating Butchaiah Chowdary from Rajamahendravaram City seat as it is now held by Adireddy Bhavani, daughter-in-law of Adireddy Appa Rao, and daughter of late Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu. The TDP fears backlash from BCs if the seat is allotted to Butchaiah Chowdary.
Source said if the BJP also joins the TDP-JSP alliance, there is a possibility of the saffron party demanding Rajamahendravaram City seat, which it had won in 2014. In such a case, it would be more difficult for Butchaiah Chowdary as he faces political uncertainty.
Meanwhile, TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said seniors would be respected in the party.