The Telugu Desam Party(TDP) has been facing unprecedented challenges after changing of in-charges in several places and allocation of seats to its alliance partners the JSP and the BJP in Vizinagaram and Srikakulam districts. The selection process was relatively smooth till 2019 as the TDP used to give tickets to prominent leaders.
Now, the party chose new leaders to strengthen the party at the grassroots-level. But its experiments could not give the desired results with the revolt from several leaders, who were denied the party tickets. The TDP denied tickets to aspirants Kimidi Nagarjuna (Cheepurupalli), Karrotu Bangarraju (Bhogapuram), K.A. Naidu(Gajapathinagaram), all in Vizianagaram district, Gunda Lakshmi Devi (Srikakulam) and Kalamata Venkataramana (Pathapatnam).
The dissidence is continuing in Cheepurupalli where Mr. Nagarjuna has been holding a series of meetings with his supporters. Mr. Venkata Rao who was not happy with Cheepurupalli seat could not start campaign although the ticket was given five days ago. He sought Etcherla seat but it was given to the BJP, an alliance partner of the TDP.
Mr. Bangarraju and his followers are reluctant to participate in the campaign with Lokam Madhavi, JSP candidate of Nellimarla. Former MLA of Vizianagaram Meesala Geeta is also up in arms against the party high command after not getting ticket either from Vizianagaram or Nelliamarla. According to sources, the party high command is expected to send a team of senior leaders to set right the things at the ground level in the backdrop of YSRCP’s brisk campaign in all the constituencies of both districts.
