A number of TDP leaders and supporters from the Visakhapatnam South constituency have rallied behind party urban unit president V. Ganesh Kumar in the backdrop of the talk doing the rounds that the seat will be allotted to the BJP.
With the talks on alliance reaching the final stage and an announcement expected after the party politburo meeting, the leaders said at a press conference that Mr. Ganesh Kumar stayed with the party despite its lean phase and in spite of losing the seat in 2009, he concentrated on party work strengthening it from grassroots level and helping the poor.
He had organised a total of 800 programmes to strengthen the party, they pointed out. They did not oppose the alliance with BJP but wanted the South constituency to be made an exception. They said if the decision went against Mr. Ganesh Kumar, they would meet again and decide their future course of action.
AP Mechanised Boat Operators’ Welfare Association president P.Ch. Appa Rao said the seat was given to BJP in 2004 and in subsequent elections the seat was won by Congress twice and the party faced a lot of problems. Though the party was not in power, Mr. Ganesh Kumar nurtured the constituency encouraging cadres and strengthening it. BJP should be allotted another constituency, he suggested.
Christian Minority Cell State vice-president E. Mariadas and Chinna Rehaman said about 1.6 lakh fishermen and Muslims and Christians would be unhappy if the seat was conceded to BJP and it would impact the party’s prospects in the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha.
City Telugu Mahila president Nargis said during the successive TDP and Congress tenures justice was not done to the people of the constituency.
P. Chinna Appa Rao, W. Bhaskara Rao and Botsa Rami Reddy were among those who spoke in support of Mr. Ganesh Kumar. Presidents and other office-bearers of the wards were present.
