Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Fear of Congress `tactics' stalks TDP

Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR: An intense behind the screen political activity gripped the district headquarters on the eve of election of Zilla Parishad chairperson and vice-chairperson - slated for Monday. While the TDP has exuded confidence of winning the two posts with clear majority, the Congress camp has also refused to give up the hopes.

Both the TDP, which has won majority ZPTC seats in the local bodies' elections, and the Congress held a series of meetings.

In spite of lacking majority, the Congress is getting ready to contest for both the posts.

Speculations were rife that the Congress legislators were "in touch" with family members of at least four TDP ZPTC members who are camping in Hyderabad to encourage them to defect and support the Congress.

While Anantapur MP A. Venkatarami Reddy is learnt to be camping in Hyderabad to supervise the `efforts', Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy is `coordinating' here.

Sources in the Congress said that their legislators were in constant touch with two ZPTC members each from Anantapur and Hindupur Lok Sabha constituencies `offering' attractive returns for getting their support.

The sources said they were confident of winning over at least two TDP members required for the magic majority figure of 32 ZPTC members.

They were being offered with small nominated posts or handsome amount, the sources said.

On the other hand, to counter the ruling party's efforts to hijack its members, the TDP is learnt to be making efforts to woo a couple of Congress ZPTC members.

A couple of legislators and two former MPs are learnt to be in touch with two Congress ZPTC members.

As the Congress did not announce its candidate for the ZP chief post during the elections it is likely to field either T. Kavita, who was projected as the candidate unofficially, or another woman from Backward Class community to contest against N. Varalaxmi of the TDP, who is also from BC community.

The two parties are also yet to finalise their candidates for two co-option members' posts to be chosen from religious and linguistic minorities.

Heavy security arrangements have been made for the election and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been clamped around the ZP complex.

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

Stories in this Section

Fear of Congress `tactics' stalks TDP

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu