VIJAYAWADA: The BJP and TDP are likely to make some changes to the announced list of Lok Sabha candidates owing to the pressure from activists of both the parties. As part of the seat-sharing agrement, the TDP is contesting 17, BJP six and JSP two Lok Sabha seats.
According to sources, Narasapuram MP Kanumuri Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju is likely to be fielded from the same constituency on behalf of the TDP. Though, the BJP named Srinivasa Varma as the candidate for Narasapuram, much to the disappointment of Raju, who on several occasions claimed that he would definitely be the candidate of Narasapuram from one the three parties (BJP-TDP-JSP).
After winning the Lok Sabha election in 2019 on YSRC ticket, Raju turned rebel within a year and resigned to that party recently.
Though he has not joined any party so far, he used to say that he would join one of the three parties, which will give him the Lok Sabha seat to contest in the elections.
His confidence increased after the TDP, which released the first list of candidates exempting Narasapuram, and he became optimistic that this segment would be allotted to the BJP as part of the seat sharing agreement and he would be the candidate of the saffron party.
But much to his dismay, the BJP had named Srinivasa Varma as its candidate for Narasapuram.
Raju raised his voice in favour of the tripartite alliance and also turned bitter critic of the ruling YSRC. There is a discernment among his followers and also the alliance parties. This seems to have mounted pressure on the TDP and BJP leaders to make some minor changes in the list of candidates.
To accommodate Raju from Narasapuram, it was proposed to give Eluru Lok Sabha segment to the BJP. The TDP named Putta Mahesh Yadav as its candidate for Eluru and in case of giving the seat to the BJP, Garapati Tapana Chowdary is likely to be the candidate of the saffron party, the sources added.
The sources also revealed that the TDP may accommodate Raju from Undi or any other Assembly constituency in the erstwhile twin Godavari districts, if the seat swapping attempt between the two parties fails.