Dissent in TDP over proposal to allocate Pendurthi ticket to JSP

TDP workers hold series of protests demanding the ticket to four-time MLA and TDP in-charge of the constituency, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy

TDP leader and former MLA Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy. | Photo Credit: File Photo

Pendurthi Assembly constituency has been in the spotlight for the last week, ever since speculations began over the allotment of the MLA ticket from the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance to former MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu.

Meanwhile, supporters of TDP leader and former MLA Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy have been organising a series of protests, ‘Mana Pendurthi - Mana Bandaru’, seeking the ticket for him.

However, the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance has yet to confirm candidates for five Assembly constituencies in the combined Anakapalli –Visakhapatnam district, including Pendurthi. JSP president K. Pawan Kalyan’s recent meeting with several of his party leaders from Vizag hinted that Panchakarla Ramesh Babu is the JSP candidate for Pendurthi. Though not officially confirmed, it is learnt that the party leadership has asked Mr. Babu to start groundwork for the elections.

Panchakarla Ramesh Babu won as the MLA from Pendurthi in 2009 from the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP). Later, he joined TDP and won from Yelamanchali constituency in 2014 and lost in the 2019 elections.

Following the defeat, he joined the YSRCP and worked as city president. Last year, he resigned from YSRCP and joined JSP even as he assured his supporters that he would try to contest from either Pendurthi or Yelamanchali.

On the other side, four-time MLA and one of the senior-most TDP leaders Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, who was anticipating a ticket for Pendurthi and has been working as the in-charge of the constituency, has expressed his dissent over the proposal to give the ticket to JSP candidate and has been staying away from the party programmes. His supporters have been staging road shows and rallies demanding the alliance to reconsider the decision and confirm his ticket.

Recently, speculations have been rife that Mr. Murthy is in talks with other parties for a ticket and that the TDP leadership is mulling over holding talks with him soon.

A senior TDP leader said: “When we are in an alliance, both the parties have to sacrifice seats in some constituencies for the benefit of the people and the future of the State. We need to respect the decision of the high command. Both the party presidents will definitely consider those candidates in future. The high command took notice of the ongoing situation. However, they should resolve the issue at the earliest.”

YSRCP candidate

On the other hand, amid strong rumours that sitting MLA Adeep Raju was not being considered as the YSRCP candidate in Pendurthi and that IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath would be contesting from there instead, the party confirmed Mr. Adeep Raju as its candidate while Mr. Amarnath was announced as its Gajuwaka MLA candidate.