The ‘Vastunna Meekosam padayatra ’ of Telugu Desam Party President N. Chandrababu Naidu has changed the equations in the party. It marred the bright prospects of few leaders, and new faces have cropped up. The padayatra also compelled different power centres in the party to align themselves to thwart the attempts of new entrants to grab a party ticket for 2014 elections.
With Kesineni Srinivas (Nani), a lateral entrant into the party, emerging almost successful contender for Vijayawada MP seat the fate of TDP Urban president Vallabhaneni Vamsi hangs in balance. Former MP Gadde Rammohan Rao and Lingamaneni Ramesh are two other names that were in wide circulation in party circles before Mr. Naidu reached Krishna district.
The party leadership zeroed in on Mr. Nani, party sources say, at a time it was searching for a candidate who can shoulder the expenses etc. involved in the padayatra as well and not just election expenses.
The moves of senior leaders, who pinned hopes on Vijayawada MP seat to convince the party president consider one among them seems to have not worked out.
The TDP president is learnt to have assured Mr. Nani that the party would take his services into consideration before naming the candidate for Vijayawada MP constituency. Mr. Vamsi, who contested from Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency in last elections, has now set his eyes on Gannavaram Assembly constituency. In fact, Mr. Vamsi aspired to contest from Gannavaram in last elections, but the TDP asked him to face Lagadapati Rajagopal, a sitting MP then.
Dasari Balavardhan Rao, sitting MLA from Gannavaram, then announced that it was his last election. The Gannavaram MLA is not, party sources say, in a mood to retire from active politics. At the same time, MLA’s brother Dasari Jairamesh, an industrialist, is pinning hopes on Rajya Sabha seat. Mr. Naidu told them that party would offer either MLC or Rajya Sabha to Mr. Jairamesh and Mr. Balavardhana Rao would have to vacate the seat as per earlier agreement.
