A few Ministers might have to forego their seats if the exercise by the TDP to accommodate the candidates for the Assembly and the Lok Sabha seats is to be considered.
Party national president Chandrababu Naidu is weighing all options using all resources to field the best possible candidates for the Lok Sabha. Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Minister Kalava Srinivasulu, Forests and Environment Minister Siddha Raghava Rao, HRD Minister Ganta Srinivas Rao and Marketing Minister Ch. Adinarayana Reddy are some of the Ministers likely to be at the receiving end. Mr. Adinarayana Reddy has already evinced interest to contest from the Kadapa Lok Sabha following an assurance from the party chief that the MLC seat would be given to his family. As assured, his relative was given the MLC ticket.
Mr. Srinivas Rao, who won from the Bheemli Assembly constituency in 2014, was asked to contest from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha, now represented by BJP’s Kambhampati Rammohan Rao. The seat was given to the BJP in the last elections as the TDP had an alliance with it. Mr. Rao, sources say, is not keen on contesting in the LS election.
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Mr. Raghava Rao is also said to be upset with the party supremo’s decision. His followers staged a dharna in front of his house demanding that he should contest only from the Darsi Assembly constituency.
Mr. Raghava Rao has decided to hold talks with the leadership. Mr. Naidu wanted him to contest from the Ongole Lok Sabha seat. Mr. Rao has been asking the party that the Darsi Assembly segment be given to their family. MLC Deepk Reddy has been demanding that ticket should not be given to Mr. Kalava Srinivasulu. Likewise, party workers are opposing the candidature of Excise Minister KS Jawahar from the Kovvur Assembly constituency. The TDP also has plans to field Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao from Narasaraopet Lok Sabha seat, which he has been opposing. Dr. Rao is keen on contesting from the Narasaraopet Assembly segment.