VISAKHAPATNAM: YSRC president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who announced the party candidates for all 175 Assembly and 24 Lok Sabha constituencies at one go, has not chosen anyone for Anakapalle parliamentary segment, which surprised political circles. Similarly, the YSRC leadership has changed the candidate of Araku Lok Sabha constituency at the last minute.
Earlier, the party named Paderu MLA Kotagulli Bhagya Lakshmi as the YSRC coordinator of Araku in place of sitting MP Goddeti Madhavi. In the final list, the name of Araku MLA Chetti Palguna’s daughter in-law Chetti Tanuja Rani has appeared in place of Bhagya Lakshmi. With regard to Anakapalle, the YSRC seems to have come up with a new game plan.
Earlier, the YSRC named Pilla Rama Kumari, sister of Visakha Dairy Chairman Adari Anand as the coordinator of Anakapalle. However, Rama Kumari is said to be uninterested in contesting from Anakalpalle.
Meanwhile, it is speculated that BJP MP CM Ramesh may be fielded from Anakapalle as the saffron party candidate as part of the tripartite alliance.
Hence, the YSRC leadership is said to be scouting for a strong BC candidate to take on Ramesh. It is also speculated that a senior TDP leader may join the YSRC soon and he is likely to be fielded from Anakapalle.
Now, none of the sitting YSRC MPs is in the fray from Araku, Visakhapatnam and Anakapalle Lok Sabha constituencies of the erstwhile undivided Visakhapatnam district.
Sitting Visakhapatnam MP MVV Satyanarayana is in the fray from Visakhapatnam East Assembly constituency. The YSRC has fielded him against three time MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu to wrest Visakhapatnam East from the TDP.
Araku MP Madhavi and Anakapalle B Satyavathi are not in the fray this time. Withholding the announcement of Anakapalle Lok Sabha candidate at the last minute seems to be a new game plan of the YSRC to retain the seat, a political analyst observed.