With the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh fast approaching, the political churning in Andhra Pradesh has begun.
Both the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) and its arch-rival, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), along with its alliance partner Jana Sena Party (JSP), have embarked on an exercise of reshuffling candidates. The top brass of the respective political parties have begun having extensive discussions with their party leaders and constituency heads, along with a meticulous assessment of factors such as caste, candidate popularity and goodwill. The objective is to identify suitable and winnable candidates for the Assembly constituencies in the erstwhile undivided Visakhapatnam district.
The undivided Visakhapatnam district comprised both the present districts of Anakapalle and Alluri Sitharama Raju. This segment holds immense prestige within the State and has traditionally been a TDP bastion, with the ruling YSRCP keen to make inroads.
The region comprises around 15 Assembly constituencies, and the ruling party is mulling a major overhaul here unlike the TDP, which intends to retain its existing candidates in most places.
As per sources in the YSRCP, Pendurthi MLA Adeep Raj has been asked to step down. There are strong indications that a senior TDP leader is going to switch over to the YSRCP soon, and is likely to be nominated from the Assembly constituency.
Visakhapatnam MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana has already been instructed to contest the Assembly election from Visakhapatnam (East) constituency, thus setting the stage for an electoral face-off with TDP heavyweight Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu.
Recently, Chief Minister and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had summoned a few MLAs to personally convey the news of the reshuffle.
After much deliberation, the ruling party decided to retain Visakhapatnam (South) MLA Vasupalli Ganesh, who had switched from TDP to YSRCP after winning on a TDP ticket, as its candidate for the Assembly election, brushing aside opposition from local cadres to his nomination. Meanwhile, the TDP is yet to decide on a candidate, with reports suggesting that the party ticket could go to M. Sri Bharat, who narrowly lost the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha race in 2019 to the YSRCP’s M.V.V. Satyanarayana.
Apart from Mr. Adeep, it is learnt that a few other leaders such as Payakaraopeta MLA Golla Babu Rao and Chodavaram MLA Karanam Dharmasri have been told to find alternate candidates.
Two names of JSP are also making the rounds, with party sources stating that YSRCP leader Vamsi Krishna Yadav, who recently quit the party to join the JSP, may be fielded from Gajuwaka. Former YSRCP leader Panchakarla Ramesh Babu, who had also quit the party to join the JSP, may be fielded either from Pendurthi or Yelamanchali.
In such a scenario, the TDP will have to drop its candidates from wherever these two would be fielded, in keeping with its alliance agreement.
The candidature of Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath, who had won from Anakapalli in 2014, is also being discussed. The decision has reportedly been left up to him and sources say that he may contest the Lok Sabha elections either from Anakapalli or as an MLA from any constituency of his choice.
Araku MP G. Madhavi has been asked to contest as MLA, and the YSRCP is reportedly mulling to field Satrucharla Parikshit Raju as MP. Araku MLA Chetti Phalguna may not be given a ticket this time, say sources.
On the other had, the TDP will be relying on Mr. Velagapudi for Visakhapatnam (East) and field Visakhapatnam (North) MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao from Bheemunipatnam. In such a scenario, the fate of sitting YSRCP MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao remains to be seen.
The TDP may field Palla Srinivasa Rao, former MLA of Gajuwaka, as the Lok Sabha candidate from Visakhapatnam and may retain P.G.V.R. Naidu (Gana Babu), as MLA candidate from Visakhapatnam (West).
Decisions are yet to be taken in several rural constituencies.
