The Hindu : TDP in two minds over Tirupati

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP in two minds over Tirupati

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, MARCH 21. That only two of the 15 seats in Chittoor district were cleared today in the first list by the TDP high command confirmed the party's dilemma in this regard.

The two seats cleared today were Kuppam, represented by the Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu and Srikalahasti, represented in the dissolved House by the District Minister, B. Gopalakrishna Reddy. Tirupati is the bone of contention.

The party is yet to decide whether it should contest from the Tirupati Lok Sabha seat, which is presently held by the BJP, and give the latter Nellore (SC) seat instead. By conceding Tirupati, the only seat it had in the dissolved Lok Sabha for Rayalaseema, the BJP will go unrepresented in the region this time. To compensate for that, the BJP Election Committee is said to be bargaining with the TDP to allocate the Hindupur seat in Anantapur district. But, the TDP has reportedly put its foot down and in all likelihood the two may lock horns over Tirupati.

The district BJP circle is baffled by the high command's decision to gamble with a well-set Tirupati Lok Sabha seat. Some contend that if BJP is gunning for Nellore just because it is the home turf of national president M. Venkaiah Naidu, it would be a naïve move. With two of the 15 seats going the TDP's way in the first list, the choices have further narrowed down for the BJP.

Apart from its stronghold, Tampallapalle, the BJP has been staking claim for the Sathyavedu (SC) segment too this time.

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