VIJAYAWADA: As his name has not been figured in the first list of TDP candidates announced by party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, what will be the fate of former minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao?
After contesting unsuccessfully from Mylavaram in 2019 against his rival Vasantha Krishna Prasad of YSRC, Uma aspired to contest from the same constituency in the coming elections. However, Krishna Prasad quit the ruling YSRC and is set to join the TDP on Saturday. It is learnt that the TDP leadership has promised to field Krishna Prasad from Mylavaram.
With the gradual decline in Uma’s clout, the TDP leadership seems to have decided to keep Uma out of contest from Mylavaram based on survey reports. It was also alleged that Uma’s indifferent attitude towards the TDP rank and file when he was the minister led to the party debacle in Krishna district in the last elections.
After the announcement of the first list of candidates, Uma met Naidu. The TDP chief is learnt to have informed Uma about the compulsion to allot Mylavaram to Krishna Prasad and assured him to do justice.
Though Uma announced that he would abide by any decision taken by Naidu after the meeting, sources in the TDP say that he is against Krishna Prasad joining the party.
With Uma taking up his political activities in Mylavaram, the party leadership, which is yet to announce the candidate officially, seems to be worried about the possible rift in the party rank and file, which in turn may affect the winning prospects of the party.
The TDP is said to have conducted IVR survey to field Uma from Penamaluru constituency. However, Penamaluru TDP incharge Bode Prasad and minority leader MS Baig are in the race for the party ticket.
In the first list, the TDP has announced candidates for 12 of the total 16 Assembly constituencies in the erstwhile undivided Krishna district. It is learnt that Vijayawada West and Avanigadda will be allotted to the Jana Sena Party, leaving only Mylavaram and Penmaluru for the TDP.
Lavu, Vemireddy to join TDP today
Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu and former Rajya Sabha MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy, who have resigned from the YSRC, will join the TDP in the presence of Naidu during his Raa Kadaliraa programme in Palnadu and Nellore districts on Saturday.