VIJAYAWADA : The disgruntlement among TDP aspirants, who failed to get the party ticket to contest the ensuing Assembly elections, continues. Followers of Thamballapalle TDP incharge Shankar Yadav stormed into the premises of TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu’s residence at Undavalli on Monday, breaching the security cover, and demanded allotment of seat to their leader.
They contended that Jayachandra Reddy, who was given the TDP ticket for Thamballapalle, is a covert of Energy Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy. Hundreds of followers of Shankar Yadav thronged the residence of Naidu. Some of them carried petrol bottles threatening that they would resort to self-immolation if the TDP leadership did not give ticket to Shankar Yadav.
Prabhakar, TDP in charge of Kodumur constituency in Kurnool district, who did not get the party ticket, allegedly attempted suicide by consuming pesticide. The alert family members shifted him to hospital and his condition is said to be stable. The TDP gave the ticket to B Dastagiri, much to the disappointment of Prabhakar. Meanwhile, BK Parthasarathi, who aspired Penukonda seat in the erstwhile undivided Anantapur district, called on Naidu. He was told to contest for Anantapur Lok Sabha constituency.
In Kakinada rural, followers of former TDP MLA Pilli Anantha Lakshmi thronged her house and demanded that she should quit the TDP to protest against the denial of party ticket to her. One of her followers attempted self-immolation, causing tension in the area for sometime.
On the other hand, the TDP leadership continued the IVR survey in different constituencies. Calls were made to TDP cadre in Narasaraopet Assembly constituency asking them whether they are in favour of Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao as the party candidate or not. Yarapathineni, who was elected as an MLA from the Gurazala constituency in 2014 elections, lost from the same constituency in 2019, is expected to get the ticket.
However, with BC leader Janga Krishna Murthy joining the TDP, the party leadership seems to be planning to field him from Gurazala, thereby shifting Yarapathineni to another constituency. Meanwhile, YSRC MLA from Penamaluru constituency of Krishna district Kolusu Parthasarathy, along with Krishna district YSRC president Boppana Bhava Kumar, joined the TDP in the presence of party general secretary Nara Lokesh. Mylavaram YSRC MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad has confirmed that he will join the TDP soon.
The TDP has already announced Parthasarathy as the party candidate from Nuzvid constituency in the erstwhile undivided Krishna district. Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, who quit the YSRC recently, announced that he will join the TDP soon and contest from the same segment in the coming polls.