The Hindu : TDP may decide on four Assembly seats today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 26, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati

TDP may decide on four Assembly seats today

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI, MARCH 25. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is likely to name its candidates for at least four more Assembly constituencies in Chittoor district on Friday.

This follows protracted deliberations the District Minister, B. Gopalakrishna Reddy, and the district party convener, G. Rameshchandra Prasad, have been holding at Hyderabad with the contenders at the instance of the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Wednesday night.

The two are engaged in hectic parleys with the contenders to shortlist the names for at least six less complicated constituencies leaving, however, the final decision to the party chief, Mr. Naidu. As such, sources said that the exercise has been almost completed with regard to Tirupati, Sathyavedu, Puttur and Punganur segments.

In all probability the sitting incumbents Chadalavada Krishnamurthy (Tirupati) and N.Sivaprasad (Sathyavedu) will be retained. The sources further pointed out that the Tirupati Municipal Chairman, K. Sankar Reddy, is being tipped for Puttur segment in the place of R. Rajasekhar Reddy, who is being rested in view of the near fatal injuries he suffered in the Alipiri blast. Similarly, the candidature of Amarnadha Reddy who had contested unsuccessfully for the Punganur seat in the last election is also almost finalised. Incidentally, his father, N. Ramakrishna Reddy, who is the TDP's sitting MP from Chittoor will in all probability be rested in view of his ill-health.

Mr. Naidu is said to have already spoken over phone with Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy to convey his decision. He is likely to be replaced by the liquor baron and the TTD Trust Board Chairman, D. K. Audikesavulu.

Meanwhile, indications are that Mr. Naidu's nomination papers for the Kuppam constituency will be filed on April 7 in absentia.

Mr. Naidu, however, will be holding teleconferences from time to time with his voters and the campaign in-charges to monitor the campaign.

Jayalalithaa to

be invited?

Another interesting development in the district's political spectrum is a suggestion being made to Mr. Naidu to invite his Tamil Nadu counterpart J. Jayalalithaa to campaign for the TDP-BJP combine in Chittoor, Kuppam, Vepanjeri, Puttur, Nagari and Sathyavedu constituencies, which have sizeable Tamil population.

Lull in Congress camp

In contrast, there is a marked lull in the rival Congress camp in the district with the agonising suspense continuing over the release of even the first list of candidates. Sources said that with the AICC president, Sonia Gandhi, being away from Delhi on a campaign and with no chances of her return to the Capital until Friday, the release of the list is also not likely until Saturday or Sunday.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

TDP may decide on four Assembly seats today

Rythu Samakhya to contest from 80 Assembly seats