The Hindu : Ticket, talks and desertions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ticket, talks and desertions

By S. Nagesh Kumar

HYDERABAD, FEB. 11. Political parties are receiving applications for the party ticket by the dozens on the one hand while on the other they are busy with difficult negotiations to forge alliances and settle internal differences.

Topping the list is Telugu Desam Party which has received about 2,000 applications from a cross-section, many of them doctors and Government employees keen on securing the ticket in the quota for "neutrals.'' Party sources say they will not be surprised if more than 15 fresh neutrals are fielded this time.

The Congress is not keeping any count but bundles of ticket-seekers' bio-datas litter the office room of Gandhi Bhavan. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has sold 1,050 applications at Rs. 10,000 apiece ( Rs. 5,001 for SCs and STs) and received 852 filled-in forms so far, including 71 for the Lok Sabha.

Second-rung TDP leaders in districts have handing over to the party chief, N. Chandrababu Naidu, their applications along with bulky bio-datas, pie-charts and graphs to buttress their cases. But, no new aspirants can be seen for about 60 Assembly seats which have returned the same TDP candidates for four or five consecutive terms. The applications are being digitised at NTR Bhavan and electronically mailed to district in-charges and the TDP chief for future reference.

Notwithstanding the aspirants' anxiety, parties are in no hurry to process their applications for fear of stirring the hornet's nest too early. The APCC leadership has resolved to wait for the election notification before formally accepting applications for the Assembly polls and advising aspirants for the Lok Sabha to approach the high command. Evidently, it wants its seat-sharing exercise with the TRS and Left parties to at least reach a conclusive stage before taking a look at the aspirants.

The Congress and the TRS are engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the latter seeking 51 Assembly and seven Lok Sabha seats against the 35 and three reportedly offered to it. While they have held no formal talks with the Congress, Left parties are believed to be in the quest for 40 seats, the same number that its erstwhile ally, the TDP, conceded to them in 1994. But, it remains to be seen whether the Congress is willing to more than 18 to the CPI (M) and 15 to the CPI.

With the Union Minister, Bandaru Dattatreya, playing a pro-active role, the BJP and the TDP are also holding informal seat-sharing talks.

The TDP has constituted a three-member committee comprising K. Prabhakar Reddy, T. Devender Goud and K. Kala Venkata Rao, for the negotiations. In 1999, TDP conceded 25 Assembly and eight Lok Sabha seats to the BJP but the latter is reportedly demanding 45 Assembly and 12 Lok Sabha seats, claiming to be riding the crest of the "feel-good'' wave.

Meanwhile, the season for desertions seems to be reaching a peak. Close on the heels of Mysoora Reddy quitting the Congress, Daggubati Venkateswara Rao joining it, Adala Prabhakar Reddy bidding adieu to the TDP, some more defections seem imminent in Nellore district.

Bollineni Krishnaiah, Congress member of the dissolved Assembly from Atmakur, called on the TDP president this morning along with two other former legislators, Madala Janakiram, and M. Gangadhar setting off speculation about his future plans. Similarly, V. Venugopal Reddy, TDP member of the 11th Assembly, said to be a close associate of A. Prabhakar Reddy, it is learnt, is set to join the Congress on February 13.

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