A number of TDP ticket aspirants in the 14 Assembly and parliamentary constituencies began their campaign on Wednesday as it had been considered auspicious.
With party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu delaying the process of finalising the names, those confident of getting the ‘B Forms’ had launched campaign. Women’s Welfare and SERP Minister Paritala Sunitha sprang a surprise announcing that her son Sriram would contest from Rapthadu from where she had won twice . She won twice from Penukonda, which her slain husband Paritala Ravi had represented before the bifurcation of the constituency. The Minister and Mr. Sriram sought an appointment with Mr. Naidu on Thursday to request for another seat so that she and her son could contest.
On popular demand from the supporters of the Paritala family, Mr. Sriram would be contesting from Rapthadu if only one ticket is given. She pointed out that the J.C. Diwakar Reddy family was given two tickets , hence it was justified for her too to seek two.
Anantapur urban constituency MLA Vaikuntham Prabhakar Chowdary launched campaign with Mayor Madamanchi Swaroopa in tow. A person doused himself with petrol near the CM’s residence at Amaravati opposing his candidature.
The dissidence in Rayadurg continues to dog the party with former MLC Deepak Reddy and Tadipatri MLA J.C. Prabhakar Reddy’s son-in-law holding a meeting with the party leaders of five mandals and serving an ultimatum on the high command to give the ticket to anyone other than MLA Kalava Srinivasulu. He told the media that he would contest as an independent if Mr. Srinivasulu were given the ‘B Form’ and return to the TDP by winning the seat.
