SRIKAKULAM: In an interesting development, Duvvada Srinivas, YSRC candidate for Tekkali Assembly constituency, may have to lock horns with his wife in the election.
His wife, Duvvada Vani is preparing to file her nomination papers as a rebel candidate on April 22.
Tekkali Assembly constituency in Srikakulam district has been the bastion of the TDP since the party’s inception in 1983. TDP has won the seat eight times. This also includes former late chief minister NT Rama Rao’s victory in the segment in 1994.
TDP State president and sitting MLA Kinjarapu Atchannaidu is again in the fray as the party’s candidate. He won the election from this Assembly segment in 2014 and is now looking to score a hat-trick.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy who wants to root out the TDP from the constituency, announced the name of Duvvada Srinivas as the party’s official candidate.
Srinivas lost the election from Tekkali Assembly in 2014 and Srikakulam Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 elections, contesting on YSRC ticket.
Jagan nominated him to the legislative council for being loyal to him.
With the YSRC president announcing Srinivas as the party’s nominee for Tekkali, a domestic discord has emerged between him and his wife Vani. With an intent to win the seat, both opened their own camp offices and have been conducting their campaign separately.
Vani won the Tekkali ZPTC election and played a key role at the constituency-level politics along with her husband Srinivas.
However, there have been disputes between the couple over the past few months. As a part of this, she lodged a complaint with YSRC top brass regarding her husband’s attitude in family affairs as well as in politics.
Heeding her request, the party appointed her as Tekkali Assembly segment in-charge. When she thought she was going to be the party’s face, the party nominated her husband Srinivas.
Shocked by the decision, Vani remained silent for the last few days. However, she opened up before her followers on Thursday and announced that she would stay in the fray as a rebel candidate. She is determined to file nomination for the Tekkali segment on April 22.
She had exuded confidence with her followers that the party would give her the B-form. Now Vani made an announcement that she would be in the fray as the party’s rebel candidate, raising the political temperature in the segment.
TDP’s Atchannaidu, YSRC’s Duvvada Srinivas, and Killi Kruparani of Congress are preparing to file their nomination in a couple of days. If Vani sticks to her decision, Tekkali Assembly segment, will see a four-cornered contest.