VISAKHAPATNAM: The political alliance between the TDP and the JSP has brought several archrivals together. The union of archrivals in the erstwhile combined Visakhapatnam district has once again proved that there are no permanent friends and foes in politics.
MLC Ch Vamsi Krishna Srinivas, who unsuccessfully contested against sitting TDP MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu twice in 2009 and 2014, was a strong contender for the YSRC ticket to take on Velagapudi from Visakhapatnam East constituency, till he joined the JSP. Now, he has openly announced to work for the success of Velagapudi in the ensuing polls.
Velagapudi scored a hat-trick with three consecutive wins since 2009. Now, Velagapudi seems to be on a strong wicket this time too. It has been a shot in the arm for Velagapudi as Vamsi Krishna is supporting him in the elections. Vamsi Krishna even addressed a joint press conference to declare his unstinted support to Velagapudi. He has even declared that he will go to Bihar if YSRC nominee and MP MVV Satyanarayana wins from Visakhapatnam East in the ensuing elections.
Similarly, Konathala Ramakrishna and Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, who had been poles apart for decades, have come together due to the TDP-JSP alliance in Anakapalle. While Dadi was in the TDP, Konathala was in the Congress for long.
Dadi is a four-time MLA as he represented Anakapalle in the State Assembly. Konathala and Dadi contested on behalf of the TDP and Congress respectively from Anakapalle in 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections. Dadi defeated Konathala in 1999 elections. But he lost to Konathala in 2004 elections, However, both of them lost at the hands of Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who contested from Anakapalle constituency on Praja Rajyam ticket in 2009.
Dadi, who had been with the TDP since its inception, joined the YSRC before last elections. While Dadi’s son Ratnakar contested from Visakhapatnam West, Konathala’s brother Raghunath contested from Anakapalle in 2019 elections. Though the two senior leaders were in the YSRC for sometime, they never shared anything.
Now, Dadi returned to the TDP and Konathala joined the JSP. After the TDP and the JSP forged an alliance in the State, it chose Konathala as its candidate from Anakapalle. Konathala on Friday visited Dadi’s house so as to establish rapport with the latter. Both the leaders said they would work for the victory of the alliance candidates to make TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu the Chief Minister of the State again.
Konathala, Dadi join hands
Konathala Ramakrishna and Dadi Veerabhadra Rao, who had been poles apart for decades, have come together due to the TDP-JSP alliance in Anakapalle. Both the leaders said they would work for the victory of the alliance candidates in the ensuing elections