VIJAYAWADA : Even before a final call on seat sharing between the TDP and Jana Sena Party for the ensuing elections has been taken, it seems differences between the leaders of both the parties have come to the fore with regard to key constituencies.
According to sources, Vijayawada West Assembly constituency has become a bone of contention between the TDP and the JSP with the former MLC Buddha Venkanna bringing pressure on the party leadership seeking ticket.
JSP leader Pothina Mahesh, who unsuccessfully contested from the constituency in the last elections, is also aspiring for the seat. Stating that he has done a lot of ground work in the constituency, Buddha seems to be insisting that the party leadership consider his candidature for Vijayawada West.
There was a tussle within the TDP for the seat when Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) was in the party as he preferred the candidature of minority leader MS Baig instead of Buddha. After Nani joined the YSRC, the fight for the seat seems to be between the alliance partners TDP and JSP.
Even as activists of both the TDP and JSP are seen mingling in the political rallies being organised by both the parties, the seat sharing seems to be not so smooth.
Though leaders of both the parties are maintaining that they have reached an in principle agreement on seat sharing, pacification of ticket aspirants in both the parties in different parts of the State, particularly in the twin Godavari districts seems to be a tough task.
According to sources, several rounds of talks held between TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan have been mainly focused on seat sharing and the joint manifesto. “Though we are not aware of the exact number of Assembly seats offered to the JSP as part of the alliance, it may not be more than 25,” a senior TDP leader told TNIE, adding that when it comes to the Lok Sabha seats, it may be a few.
When asked about the possibility of the JSP demanding more seats in the erstwhile twin Godavari districts, where the party is said to be strong, the TDP leader is of the view that a decision on seat sharing will be taken by taking the entire State as a unit. However, he does not rule out the possibility of the JSP demanding more seats in Godavari region. In such case, the vote transfer between the two parties may not be smooth as both the TDP and JSP leaders who aspired for the seats quite long, may get disappointed over denial of tickets by their respective parties as part of the seat sharing compulsions, and they may raise a banner of revolt, he added.
TDP denies allotment of 63 seats to JSP
TDP State president K Atchannaidu on Wednesday accused Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of spreading a false propaganda in the name of a letter released by him on seat sharing between the TDP and the JSP for the ensuing Assembly elections. A fake press release bearing the name of Atchannaidu, claiming that the TDP leadership had agreed to allocate 63 Assembly seats to the JSP was circulating widely, and it is totally false, he said in a release. He urged the people to be vigilant against such fake news aimed at misleading the voters