Even before the TDP has kick-started the exercise of finalising the candidates for the elections, the leaders have started squabbling over tickets. The issue reached party national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday.
Party minority leader and AP Police Housing Corporation Chairman Nagul Meera objected to the claims of Vijayawada (West) MLA Jaleel Khan that the TDP supremo had cleared the candidature of his daughter Shabana Khatoon.
Mr. Meera met the Chief Minister to register his objections. Later, he told reporters that Mr. Khan’s claims cannot be believed. The Chief Minister did not make any such announcement, he said. “We are committed to the party philosophy. We will ask the party chief to allocate four tickets to Noor Basha.”
Likewise, Marketing Minister C. Adinarayana Reddy and MLC P. Ramasubba Reddy insisted that they be given the ticket for the Jammalamadugu Assembly constituency.
Deadlock
Mr. Naidu is of the view that one of them should contest for the Lok Sabha. He could not break the deadlock on Wednesday though he held parleys with them for about three hours. He met them again on Thursday. It is learnt that Mr. Naidu suggested that the Minister contest from Kadapa LS and MLC from the Jammalamadugu Assembly constituency. Subsequently, the duo announced that they would abide by the decision of the leadership.
