Speculation that N. Lokesh, IT Minister and son of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, is being considered as the candidate for the Bheemunipatnam Assembly constituency by the TDP leadership has generated a lot of political heat in the district.
In tune with it, other parties are said to be busy chalking out their strategies.
‘Safest seat’
The TDP, which is scouting for the safest seat for its key leader, seems to have zeroed in on Bheemunipatnam, the party’s stronghold since its inception in 1982.
Out of the eight elections conducted in the constituency after its formation, the TDP has emerged victorious in six.
Only in the elections held in 2004 and 2009, the party lost to the Congress and the Praja Rajyam Party respectively.
P. Ananda Gajapati Raju won the seat on the TDP ticket in 1983, R.S.D.P. Appala Narasimha Raju of the party created a record by winning hands down consecutively in 1985, 1989, 1994 and 1999 from the constituency.
Though the party lost in 2004 and 2009, it reclaimed the constituency in the 2014 elections.
Muttamsetti’s exit
Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, who won the seat on the PRP ticket in 2009, later joined the TDP and contested the elections in 2014 from the Anakapalle Parliamentary constituency. Irked over the denial of ticket from Bheemunipatnam, he quit the party recently and joined the YSRCP. It is learnt that the YSRCP has promised him ticket to contest from Bheemunipatnam.
Ganta’s dilemma
The TDP move to field Mr. Lokesh from Bheemunipatnam has come as a bolt from the blue for HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, who is seeking to contest from the Assembly segment. If the TDP goes ahead with its plan, Mr. Srivasa Rao may be asked to move to Visakhapatnam North, much against his wish, according to sources. The Minister had expressed his “personal preference” to contest from Bheemunipatnam while replying to queries at a media conference in the city last week. Though he said it was for the leadership to take a decision, he seemed to be sure that the party would not “let him down.”
The TDP leadership is yet to take a decision on Visakhapatnam North constituency, from where P. Vishnu Kumar Raju of the BJP won in the 2014 elections with its support.
With the BJP parting ways with the TDP and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan, who supported the TDP in 2014, likely to field his own candidate, it may not be a cakewalk for the TDP in the constituency, notwithstanding the sops it showered on various sections ahead of the elections.
