VIJAYAWADA : The YSRC, which has been making concerted efforts to defeat TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, his son Lokesh, and State unit president K Atchannaidu, seems to have been focused on Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan also.
With reports that Pawan Kalyan may contest from Pithapuram Assembly constituency, the YSRC is said to be planning to change its coordinator Vanga Geetha. For this, it is reportedly making efforts to convince Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham to contest from Pithapuram. Simultaneously, the YSRC is holding talks with senior TDP leader and former MLA SVSN Varma, who had already announced that he would contest as an independent, if he was not given the ticket.
According to sources, sitting Kakinada MP Geetha has informed the party high command that if Pawan Kalyan contests from Pithapuram, she may find it tough to win the election. According to Kapu leaders in the YSRC, Mudragada is the right person to take on Pawan Kalyan.
It may be recalled that Mudragada had earlier appealed to the YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to give him a chance to contest against Pawan Kalyan from anywhere in the erstwhile undivided East Godavari district. However, the YSRC did not consider his appeal.
Mudragada later wanted to join the JSP and several rounds of discussions were held between him and the JSP leaders. Pawan Kalyan, who reportedly assured to meet Mudragara after attending the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya, failed to do so, which did not go well with the senior leader. If not Mudragada, the YSRC is considering his son Giribabu or daughter-in-law Sirisha for the Assembly segment. Meanwhile, the JSP is said to have felt that Pithapuram is one of the safest bet for Pawan Kalyan.
On the other hand, Varma also aspired for Pithapuram seat, later the TDP leader made it clear that he would contest as an independent after coming to know that it is likely to go to the JSP as part of the alliance. “It will be difficult for any other leader to win Pithapuram seat without the support of Varma, opined a political analyst.
East Godavari district YSRC president and Kakinada Rural MLA Kurasala Kannababu did not respond when contacted over phone.