BJP and TDP are still at odds over the Anaparthy seat

While contenders frantically file their nominations for both the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and TDP are still at odds over the Anaparthy Assembly seat. This seat is a part of the Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha constituency, in which BJP State President Daggubati Purandeswari is a contender.

The BJP is apparently vying for the Denduluru ticket instead of the Anaparthy ticket, and it is expected to succeed, according to sources. The BJP, which had allegedly requested either the Rajamahendravam Urban or Rural seat for its previous party State president Somu Veerraju, was given the Anaparthy seat by the TDP as part of the seat-sharing process. The TDP want to give the BJP an assembly district since it is powerful and has sitting MLAs in both of the Assembly seats. In Anaparthy, the BJP does not have a strong foundation. M Shiva Krishnam Raju was chosen as its nominee.

Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy, the leader of the TDP, previously won the seat. He is a prominent member of the Reddy community and has been elected since 1978.

After first declaring his name, Nallamilli has hoisted a flag of rebellion against the party for refusing him the ticket. He had been canvassing the constituency to gain support, demonstrating his strength.

However, if the coalition loses the Anaparthy seat, the BJP fears that Purandeswari’s prospects of winning might be compromised. They are aware that, with the exception of Anaparthy, the TDP won a majority in each of the six MLA segments in the 2009 elections for the Rajamahendravaram MP seat. In Anaparthy, the Congress obtained 60,000 votes, which contributed to the victory of their MP candidate, Undavalli Arun Kumar. According to the reports, Purandeswari’s prospects might be hampered by a similar circumstance.

In the meanwhile, the party fails to dissuade its general secretary, Garapati Sita Ramanjaneya (Tapana) Chowdary, from running as an independent in the Eluru MP seat.

He is now getting ready to run for both the Denduluru MLA seat and the MP seat. According to sources, even though Chintamaneni Prabhakar, a former MLA, has been declared as the TDP’s candidate, the party’s leadership may order him to forfeit the seat to the BJP.