Alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to compel Telugu Desam Party to face a piquant situation in general elections this year. Many prominent Telugu Desam leaders are learnt to have made up their mind to contest as independent candidates if the party conceded to demand of the BJP to allocate Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat to it.
According to reliable sources, both TDP Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency in charge Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) and Vijayawada (East) in charge Gadde Rammohan Rao have decided to contest election as independent candidates if their services to the party were not recognised. Interestingly, Gadde also has an inclination to contest from Vijayawada Lok Sabha seat if the party doesn’t consider his name for Vijayawada (East) Assembly segment.
Sources in the party indicate that that Mr. Nani will file his nomination on April 12. “It is up to party high command to assess the ground realities and strike alliance with the BJP. Come what may, he will file nomination on April 12,” said the source.
Gadde is in funk ever since the party welcomed Congress leader Yelamanchili Ravi, a sitting MLA from Vijayawada (East). He feels that his prospects have been marred with entry of Mr. Ravi. This is not the first time that Gadde was let down by the party president Chandrababu Naidu. He had bitter experiences in the past also.
The step-motherly treatment to the former Member of Parliament from Vijayawada, has forced him to take this extreme decision, his close associates say.
The rumour in the party circles is that the BJP would field Daggubati Purandeswari from Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency, recent contender being Komati Jairam, an NRI. Mr. Jairam held parleys with the TDP supremo and sought his blessings to contest from Vijayawada Parliamentary seat.
