KADAPA : Contestants of the ruling YSRC and the tripartite alliance in Rajampet Assembly constituency of Annamayya district seem to be facing non-cooperation from the aspirants, who have been denied party tickets, in the poll campaign.
Sitting YSRC MLA Meda Mallikarjuna Reddy did not get the ticket this time, but he was compensated by the party leadership by sending his brother Meda Raghunath Reddy to the Rajya Sabha. However, unhappy over being sidelined in the party, he is not extending any cooperation to YSRC contestant Akepati Amaranth Reddy, sources said.
Former MLC Bathyala Changal Rayudu, who unsuccessfully contested from Rajampet in 2019, expected to get the TDP ticket this time too, but party chief N Chandrababu Naidu gave it to Sugavasi Balasubrahmanyam. Peeved, Changal Rayudu has refused to cooperate with the TDP official candidate. Not losing heart, the former MLC is said to be making every effort to prove that he is the right candidate as there is still time for last minute changes.
Rajampet consists of Rajampet, Siddavatam, Vontimitta, Nandalur, Veeraballe and T Sundupalle mandals. The total number of voters in the constituency is 2,37,191, including 1,21,430 women and 10 transgenders.
In the 2019 elections, Mallikarjuna Reddy defeated Changal Rayudu by a huge margin of 35,272 votes. In 2014, too, Mallikarjun Reddy won from the segment, but on TDP ticket.
Taking stock of the situation Rajampet MP and YSRC Lok Sabha candidate PV Midhun Reddy held discussions with the Meda brothers, and Amarnath Reddy to resolve the issue. But Mallikarjun Reddy is said to have complained against Amarnath Reddy that the latter was trying to suppress his supporters by giving them no importance in party matters. Amarnath Reddy camp alleged that Mallikarjun Reddy had started sending his followers into the TDP.
On the other hand, Changal Rayudu is continuing his ‘Intintiki Bathyala’ programme promoting himself as the TDP candidate, creating a confusion among the electorate. Sugavasi is said to be ignoring Changal Rayudu, leading to an ungainly situation for the TDP and NDA Lok Sabha candidate N Kiran Kumar Reddy. People of Rajampet are waiting to see how this political drama will end before the filing of nominations.