Telugu Desam leaders have made it clear that they will insist on contesting Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat which is being demanded by BJP in its talks for an alliance for the forthcoming elections.
Stating that the two parties should adopt a give and take attitude and tie-up in the larger interests, former MP M.V.V.S. Murthy and former minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao revealed that talks between the two parties reached a conclusive stage and announcement on some seats was expected on Thursday after a meeting between party president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and BJP leaders.
After the bifurcation, Visakhapatnam’s significance increased and TDP would not part with it, they said. Though tipped for the coveted Lok Sabha seat, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said he would prefer to contest from Anakapalle Assembly constituency. Besides, BJP was likely to get a seat for the Assembly in each of the districts. In the city, BJP was firm on being allotted the Visakhapatnam North constituency.
Mr. Murthy said BJP should think of its winning prospects. The Congress was in a shambles and BJP at the Centre and TDP in the State would storm to power, he asserted.
Earlier, a number of people from the One Town area joined the TDP in the presence of Mr. Murthy and Mr. Srinivasa Rao. Former MLA S. A. Rahaman was present.
North-South divide?While the BJP is demanding Visakhapatnam North Assembly constituency, some TDP leaders are of the view that it stands a better chance of winning from Visakhapatnam South.
TDP (Urban) president V. Ganesh Kumar has been a strong aspirant from the constituency having lost the 2009 Assembly election from there.
On BJP’s choice, TDP leaders say it should view from the point of view of winning chances rather than insisting on a particular constituency. The Visakhapantam South constituency was represented by BJP during 1999-2004 when TDP and BJP were in alliance. BJP’s Andhra Pradesh president K. Haribabu was the MLA from there. Supporters of Mr. Ganesh Kumar are insisting that he be accommodated from South.
