VIJAYAWADA: Dissidence within the TDP has started brewing soon after the release of the second list of the party candidates for the Assembly elections on Thursday.
With Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan announcing himself as the candidate from Pithapuram Assembly constituency in Kakinada district, followers of former TDP MLA SVSN Varma hit the streets and burnt the TDP flags and flexes denouncing the allotment of the seat to the JSP as part of electoral alliance. They demanded that Varma contest the Pithapuram seat as an independent candidate.
However, Varma appealed to the TDP cadre to maintain restraint and desist from making objectionable remarks against TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan. “The matter should be settled within the TDP, and Pawan Kalyan is no way connected to the issue,” he asserted. Meanwhile, followers of Penamaluru former MLA Bode Prasad submitted their resignations to the TDP en masse resenting the denial of TDP ticket to Prasad. One of the former MLA’s followers allegedly attempted suicide by dousing himself with kerosene to immolate self.
However, Prasad maintained that he will continue in the TDP and contest the ensuing elections as ‘Bhakta’ of Naidu. He made it clear that he will be in the election fray except in the case of Naidu or his family members contesting from Penamaluru.
“If anyone out of Penamaluru contests the election, I will not cooperate with such candidate and remain in the fray. Even if the TDP expels me, I will continue my election campaign with Naidu’s photo,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, another former MLA Gandi Babji also upped the ante against the TDP leadership as he could not get ticket either for Visakhapatnam South or Madugula constituencies. It is learnt that he has decided to quit the TDP. Former Tadepalligudem MLA Eli Nani quit the TDP, and joined the YSRC in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. In Kovvur of the erstwhile undivided West Godavari district, followers of former minister KS Jawahar tore the flexes of the party after he was denied the ticket.
In Mantralayam of Kurnool district, TDP cadre denounced the allotment of the party ticket to Raghavendra Reddy, whom they said is known for changing his party affiliations frequently. They demanded that the TDP leadership allot the ticket to Palakurthi Tikka Reddy. On the other hand, senior TDP leaders are trying to pacify the disgruntled leaders. It is learnt that Naidu has already summoned Varma to his residence to convey the compulsions that led to the denial of ticket to him.
Ex-MLA Eli Nani joins YSRC in Jagan’s presence
TDP senior leader Eli Venkata Madhusudhan Rao (Eli Nani) of Tadepalligudem in West Godavari district joined the YSRC in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the latter’s Camp Office in Tadepalli on Thursday. Nani, who was first elected to the State Assembly on Praja Rajyam ticket, lost the election as a TDP candidate in 2019. YSRC regional coordinator PV Mithun Reddy was present on the occasion.
