The Telugu Desam Party leaders from the East Godavari district, especially the Kapus, after a series of electoral triumphs are pinning hopes of getting the Deputy Chief Minister post, along with two Minister berths in the Chnadrababu Naidu’s Cabinet.
As it was promised by the TDP chief during his poll campaigns that two Deputy Chief Minister posts would be reserved for the Kapus and Backward Classes, the Kapu community is in a buoyant mood.“Our community has supported the TDP wholeheartedly this time. When Mr. Chandrababu asked me and others to withdraw from contest, we agreed and supported the official candidates. Now, we are hoping that one of our MLAs from East Godavari district would get the Deputy Chief Minister post,” said Rankireddy Subbaraju, an industrialist and a Kapu leader.
FrontrunnersAccording to TDP sources, Nimmakayala Chinnarajappa, the party district president and MLA elect from Peddapuram constituency has emerged as a frontrunner for the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Mr. Chinnarajappa, a Kapu, who has been with the party for the last 25 years, has played a major role in brining the TDP back into power in Zilla Parishat, 10 Municipalities in the district after a gap of 10 years.
Further, the sources said that Kala Venkatrao from Srikakulam district and Mandali Buddha Prasad from Krishna district are also in the race for the Deputy CM post. But, Mr. Venkatrao belongs to the “Toorpu Kapu” community and Mr. Buddha Prasad is a new entrant to the TDP.
Five Kapu candidates who had contested on the YSRC tickets—Jakkampudi Vijayalakshmi (Rajanagaram), Pendem Dorababu (Pithapuram), Thota Subbarao Naidu (Peddapuram), Akula Veerraju (Rajahmundry Rural) and Girijala Venkataswami Naidu (Mandapeta)—faced defeat this elections. But, strong leaders like Jyothula Nehru from Jaggampeta, Damisetty Raja from Tuni and Varupula Subbarao from Prathipadu, all Kapus, won on their personal image.
