TDP yet to finalise Kadapa Lok Sabha candidate

KADAPA: Despite making declarations of wresting the Kadapa Parliamentary constituency from the ruling YSRC, the Opposition TDP is yet to announce its candidate for the segment. On the other hand, YSRC president and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has renominated his cousin YS Avinash Reddy to seek a third term as the MP. The YS family has represented Kadapa Lok Sabha seat for the past 35 years. After the Parliamentary constituency was formed in 1952, the first MP was from CPI. The Congress held the seat from 1957 to 1962 and later from 1977 to 1984.

The TDP, founded in 1982, won the segment in the 1984 elections. In 1989, YS Rajasekhara Reddy became Kadapa MP and held the seat till 1998. His brother YS Vivekananda Reddy became Kadapa MP and continued till 2009. Rajasekhar Reddy’s son, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy became Kadapa MP in 2009. In 2014, his cousin YS Avinash Reddy became the MP. Local leaders and cadres are worried over the delay in finalising the candidate. On the other hand, the ruling YSRC has intensified its electioneering in the region.

The yellow party is hoping to capitalise on the controversy surrounding the murder of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy. Even after conducting several IVR surveys to identify the right candidate who will give a tough fight to Avinash Reddy, one of the accused in the murder case, the TDP is yet to make a decision. Initially, the names of R Srinivasulu Reddy and Chamarthy Jaganmohan Raju were proposed for Kadapa and Rajampet.

Later, Ganta Narahari and S Balasubrahmanyam, son of former MP Palakondrayudu Sugavasi, were considered for the segments. After the alliance with BJP was finalised, the Rajampet Parliamentary constituency was allocated to the saffron party, which is fielding former chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy from the seat.

The RDP also considered politburo member R Srinivasulu Reddy for the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, but did not announce it as his wife Madhavi Reddy had already been nominated for the Kadapa Assembly seat. Candidature of K Ritesh Reddy, grandson of former minister B Veera Reddy from Badvel and former MLA G Veera Siva Reddy has also been considered. Now, the TDP is conducting an IVR survey to check if Jammalamadugu TDP in-charge C Bhupesh Reddy would be the right choice.