KADAPA/ANANTAPUR/KURNOOL: The second list of nominated posts released by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has left many aspirants of the NDA coalition in the erstwhile undivided Kadapa, Anantapur and Kurnool districts of Rayalaseema region disappointed.
The post of Kadapa RTC Zone Chairman has been given to Anantapur TDP leader Poola Nagaraju, which has raised eyebrows, considering the absence of representation from Kadapa.
Additionally, two corporation chairperson posts have been allotted to Railway Koduru Assembly constituency in the erstwhile united Kadapa district. However, there has been no place for Kadapa legislators in the State Cabinet, and no one from the district has been made Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board member, which has fuelled further discontent.
In the first list of nominated posts, Kadapa was meted out a raw deal. The disappointment has continued in the second list also as no local leaders have found a place in it. During the 2024 general elections, the TDP achieved an impressive victory in Kadapa, winning five out of the seven Assembly segments.
The allotment of corporation chairperson posts to TDP aspirants of Kadapa might have helped the party strengthen its base further in the district, a political analyst observed. Only a few leaders like former MLC Bachala Pullaiah from Proddatur and BJP district president Vangala Sashibhushan Reddy got director posts. However, Pullaiah wrote a letter to the Chief Minister expressing his unwillingness to accept the director’s post.
After the release of the second list, several leaders, including TDP Politburo member R Srinivasa Reddy, former MLAs M Linga Reddy and K Vijayamma, as well as several other party veterans from various constituencies, are said to have expressed their dissatisfaction. However, they seem to be unable to voice their discontent openly as the TDP leadership’s decision is final in the party matters, the analyst said.
Despite intense lobbying, several senior TDP leaders from Anantapur district have failed to get nominated posts much to their disappointment. In the second list, Jana Sena Party district president TC Varun and former Zilla Parishad chairperson Poola Nagaraju of TDP have only been given nominated posts. Many senior TDP, JSP and BJP leaders have been left out. One notable leader among the disappointed is said to be Sunil from Madakasira, who lost his TDP Assembly ticket at the last minute.
On the other hand, several TDP leaders of the erstwhile undivided Kurnool district have expressed their disappointment after being overlooked for nominated posts. Notable leaders who expressed their dissatisfaction, include Kurnool district TDP president P Tikka Reddy, former MLAs KE Prabhakar, Kotla Sujathamma, Meenakshi Naidu, Bhuma Brahmananda Reddy, Yerasu Pratap Reddy, and senior leader Yeduru Vishnu Vardhan Reddy.