VISAKHAPATNAM: TDP polit bureau member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu along with Kala Venkata Rao, and Gouthu Syamasundar Sivaji will campaign for the Telugu Desam Party from Thursday with the TDP Parliamentary Party leader Kinjarapu Yerran Naidu also likely to join them later.

This was disclosed to reporters by TDP State general secretary Kadiam Srihari on Wednesday. He said that TDP would capitalise on the aversion the people had developed towards the Rajasekhara Reddy Government due to the latter's "anti-people" policies. "Price rise, corruption among the Congress leaders, lack of development, land grabbing, anarchy and all other failures of the Congress rule will be highlighted during the campaign. The urban voters are very intelligent and they know the Congress is trying to win every election through power and money," he said.

Asked if the TDP would have problem from rebels, he said things were settling down and after a day or two everything would be calm. Urban and rural voters were not differentiated and the TDP-CPI (M) combine was set to win the GVMC elections, he said.

Patrudu issue

On the issue of former Minister Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu saying openly that injustice was done in selecting candidates, Mr. Srihari said that the matter was sorted out and Mr. Patrudu himself had said that he would campaign for the party in the city.

Mr. Srihari has dismissed the bickering in the party and the dissent of aspirants over non-allotment of ticket to them as a mere `storm in a tea cup' and averred that the selection of candidates was done in a proper, democratic manner.

Addressing party candidates, he explained that the CPI (M) was given 15 seats in view of future political interests. After a party workers' meeting, the applications were received, short-listed and sent to the State president in Hyderabad who had also conducted a survey. The survey and local information and feedback were considered and after repeated verification, the candidates were chosen, he said.

He advised the candidates to persuade the rebels to withdraw and seek their support, for, if a candidate lost the election, it was not only a personal loss but loss to the party.

Former MP M.V.V.S. Murthy asked the candidates to highlight the failures of the Congress rule. He as also the TDP rural president Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy urged the candidates to ensure making peace with all dissidents. Chodavaram MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, and TDP urban president CMA Zaheer Ahmed spoke.

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