VIJAYAWADA: At a time when the TDP is making moves to play a crucial role in national politics by winning majority of the Lok Sabha seats in the State, the developments within the party look different as some of the sitting MPs are reluctant to contest to the Lok Sabha.
After TDP floor leader in the Lok Sabha Thota Narasimham made his stand clear to party supremo N Chandrababu Naidu recently that he won’t contest in the next elections, it is learnt that Rajamahendravaram MP M Murali Mohan has also expressed his unwillingness to contest to the Lok Sabha. Interestingly, some of the MPs who are not ready to contest as MPs have expressed their desire to contest to the Assembly.
Though Naidu completed the review of majority of the Parliamentary constituencies, a clarity on party candidates is yet to be emerged. While Ananatapur MP JC Diwakar Reddy announced his plan to make way for his son, Hindupur MP Nimmala Kistappa is vying for Assembly seat. From Kurnool, sitting MP Butta Renuka has to make way for Kotla family and there is no clarity over Nandyal MP SPY Reddy seeking re-election.
In Kadapa, the TDP after detailed deliberations came up with a compromising formula of fielding Minister C Adinarayana Reddy to the Lok Sabha after ensuring an MLC seat to his family. In Tirupati, where the TDP left the Lok Sabha seat to the BJP in 2014, party is on a hunt for a suitable candidate. In Chittoor, the party may go with sitting MP N Siva Prasad and it is yet to take a call on Rajampet LS seat.
In Nellore, Adala Prabhakar Reddy unsuccessfully contested in 2014. The party, which is now planning to field him to the Assembly, will have to find a new candidate. MLC Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, who unsuccessfully contested from the Ongole Lok Sabha constituency in 2014, may be shifted to Nellore this time around. However, there are reports that he may shift his loyalties to the YSRC.
From Guntur district, the TDP won all the three MP seats including Guntur (Galla Jayadev), Narasaraopet (Rayapati Sambasiva Rao) and Bapatla (Sriram Malyadri) in the last elections. Except Jayadev, a clarity is yet to come out on the other two seats. In Krishna district, both the sitting MPs — Kesineni Nani (Vijayawada) and Konakalla Narayana Rao (Machilipatnam) — will be fielded again. Sources said names of Maganti Babu for Eluru, Harish (son of GMC Balayogi) for Amalapuram and K Rammohan Naidu for Srikakulam are finalised.
