The Hindu : Candidates' selection a tough task for parties

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Candidates' selection a tough task for parties

By Our Special Correspondent

RAJAHMUNDRY, MARCH 24. The nomination of senior party leader and Politburo member, Mudragada Padmanabham, for the Kakinada Lok Sabha seat by the Telugu Desam Party is expected and his inclusion in the first list only signifies it. But the TDP seems to have problems in selecting a suitable candidate for the Amalapuram (SC reserved) seat which was once represented by the former Speaker, G.M.C. Balayogi. Even though there are claimants for the Amalapuram seat from official circles, two other names that have been making rounds are the ZP Chairman, Dunna Janardhana Rao, and the Rajahmundry Mayor, M.S. Chakravarthy. Both are non-controversial candidates and there will not be any backlash as and when the name is announced.

On the other hand the BJP and the Congress seem to have some problems in selection of candidates for Lok Sabha seats. The problem of the Congress is the number of aspirants. There are at least three strong aspirants for each constituency and all are either senior leaders or former MPs. The names of Chitturi Ravindra, former MP, Vundavilli Arun Kumar, AICC member, and B.R.K. Naidu, former chairman of Tobacco Board, are being mentioned. For Amalapuram, K.S.R. Murthy, former MP, Gollapalli Surya Rao, former Minister and opposition leader in the ZP and G.V.Harsha Kumar, joint secretary, PCC, are in the race. Similarly for the Kakinada seat the names of Ranagiah Naidu, former Union Minister, Thota Gopalakrishna and M.M. Pallam Raju, both former MPs, are being considered.

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