KURNOOL: As the last date for withdrawal of nominations ends on Monday, the YSRC and tripartite alliance have stepped up pressure on disgruntled leaders who filed their nomination papers as rebels and independent candidates to opt out of the race to ensure that their vote bank does not split.
As the Opposition TDP, JSP and BJP have formed an alliance, the multi-cornered contests in the Lok Sabha and Assembly contests is unlikely. Of the more than 10 candidates who filed their nominations for the Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, majority of them should be rebels who denied tickets. Some of the Assembly constituency incharges, who were denied tickets as part of seat sharing among tripartite alliance, entered the poll fray as rebels. Several official candidates of TDP seem to be finding it tough to persuade the rebels to withdraw from the contest.
Speaking to TNIE, Kakaravada Chinna Venkataswamy, who filed his nomination paper as a TDP rebel from Nandikotkur, admitted that he was pressurised by the party leadership to opt out of the race before the end of the deadline. However, he seems to be reluctant to withdraw his nomination papers.
“There is no rebel threat to TDP candidates in Kodumur, Yemmiganur, Mantralayam, Nandikotkur, Nandyal and Adoni Assembly constituencies as the party leadership has prevailed upon the aspirants who failed to get tickets due to tripartite alliance, to strive for the victory of TDP-JSP-BJP combine in the elections. There is no disgruntlement among the TDP rank and file over the selection of candidates,” asserted Vaikuntam Prabhakar Chowdary, TDP zone fifth election coordinator.