Vamsi sailing against odds?

Number of aspirants in TDP for Gannavaram ticket going up

There seems to be no end to contenders in Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for Gannavaram Assembly constituency despite the fact that the party has asked former TDP urban president Vallabhaneni Vamsi to ‘work in Gannavaram constituency’.

Just a day ago, TDP Krishna district official spokesperson Alla Gopala Krishna Rao has urged party president N. Chandrababu Naidu to consider his name also before finalising the candidature for the Gannavaram Assembly constituency. Sometime ago, Telugu Rythu leader Chalasani Anjaneyulu stated that he was also in the race.

And, not to forget, Dasari Balavardhana Rao asserts that the party cannot ignore the sitting MLA.

Mr. Vamsi’s followers feel that efforts were on to scuttle chances of their leader.

All the new contenders or new names that are cropping up are said to be closely associated with the sitting MLA. They somehow wanted to mount pressure on the party leadership to ensure that ticket was not given to Mr. Vamsi. In a way, they want to tell the party president that ticket should be given either to them or sitting MLA but not to others, they feel.

At loggerheads

Both Mr. Vamsi and sitting MLA are at loggerheads ever since the former was moved out from Gannavaram Assembly constituency in last elections (2009) and directed to contest from Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency.

Followers of Mr. Vamsi followers recalled that Mr. Balavardhana Rao announced that it was his last election in 2009. They also recalled that the decision on fielding their leader in LS constituency was taken ‘unilaterally’ pointing out they have for long been making a strong plea for Assembly ticket to Mr. Vamsi on the ground that he has done a lot of work and secured grip over the constituency.

TDP made Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) as Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency in-charge and inducted K. Nagul Meera as TDP Urban president (later on Mr. Buddha Venkanna become Urban chief). Mr. Vamsi, subsequently, pinned his hopes on Gannavaram Assembly constituency. In the recent past also, the party president has asked Mr. Vamsi to work in Gannavaram constituency. But, the developments indicate that Mr. Vamsi is sailing against odds.