The Telugu Desam Party appears to be struggling hard to overcome the problems it has been facing on different counts.
Barely a day has passed since the party leadership finally formalised its alliance with the BJP in Seemandhra region that the TDP leadership is now faced with the uphill task of asking its aspirants who filed nominations as rebels in different constituencies. In a move that could embarrass the party leadership, TDP rebels filed their nominations from Santanutalapadu and Kadapa Assembly constituencies notwithstanding the fact that the two seats were given to the BJP as part of the alliance.
Party seniors are, however, hopeful that party president N. Chandrababu Naidu will speak to the rebels and convince them to withdraw their papers.
“There is still time for the last date of withdrawal. We will surely convince them (rebel candidates) to withdraw their nominations,” a senior leader told The Hindu .
Several of the party’s sitting MLAs were denied tickets for the forthcoming elections including some senior leaders like B. Durgaprasad (Gudur), T.V. Rama Rao (Kovur), M. Linga Reddy (Prodattur), D. Balavardhan Rao and K.E. Prabhakar. First time MLAs like Jayamangala Venkataramana (Kaikaluru) could not be accommodated as the seat has been given to the saffron party.
Coupled with this is the simmering discontent within the party over the preference given to leaders who switched loyalty to the party from the Congress. N. Varadarajulu Reddy, who migrated from the Congress, was given the Proddatur Assembly seat while senior leader Mandali Buddhaprasad was given the Avanigadda Assembly seat, which was represented by senior leader Ambati Brahmanaiah.
What appears to have disappointed the party cadre is the manner in which first time MLAs who migrated from the Congress such as A. Rambabu secured the ticket at the expense of the TDP aspirant.
The party’s decision to give the B form to G. Chiranjeevi from Mangalagiri came as a disappointment to P. Srinivas Rao, who had been nurturing the constituency for some time now.
Moreover, Mr. Chiranjeevi managed to secure the B form in spite of the fact that he was a contender for the municipal chairman post in the recently concluded local body elections.
