TDP names 3 new faces from Chittoor district in first list
TIRUPATI: Allaying all speculations, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu has revealed the names of candidates for seven out of the 14 constituencies in the former Chittoor district. Nonetheless, anxiety persists among party members in the remaining seven constituencies as they await the release of another list of candidates in the next few days. Remarkably, Naidu has introduced three fresh faces to contest in the forthcoming elections among the seven candidates announced on Saturday.
Naidu himself will be contesting once again from the Kuppam constituency, marking his eighth consecutive bid from there. Additionally, he announced the candidacy of former minister N Amarnath Reddy from Palamaner, who aims to secure his fifth term in the Assembly after his defeat in the 2019 elections to YSRCP candidate N Venkate Gouda. In Piler segment, Nallari Kishore Kumar Reddy will be making another attempt, having been previously defeated by YSRCP candidate C Ramachandra Reddy in both 2014 and 2019.
In Nagari, Gali Bhanu Prakash, son of former minister Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu, will be contesting once more after being narrowly defeated by YSRCP’s RK Roja in the 2019 elections. Renowned embryologist Dr VM Thomas will be contesting from the GD Nellore reserved constituency, facing off against deputy CM and YSRCP senior leader K Narayana Swamy, despite being new to the political arena.
The decision by the TDP chief to field fresh faces also from Chittoor and Thamballapalle has raised eyebrows. In Chittoor, Gurajala Jagan Mohan, known for his work as a builder and extensive involvement in real estate in Bengaluru, has been chosen as the party candidate. Similarly, in Thamballapalle, the party is banking on a business man Jayachandra Reddy from Mulakalacheruvu mandal in the constituency. Meanwhile, his choice for the backward Thamballapalle constituency, where he will go up against sitting YSRCP MLA Peddireddy Dwarakanath Reddy, indicates a shift in strategy.
The suspense continues in the remaining seven constituencies – Tirupati, Chandragiri, Srikalahasti, Puthalapattu, Satyavedu, Madanapalle, and Punganur. While there have been indications about potential candidates for these constituencies, including K Murali Mohan for Puthalapattu, Bojjala Sudheer Reddy for Srikalahasti, Challa Babu for Punganur and Dr Helen for Satyavedu, the final decisions are yet to be announced. In Srikalahasti, the party is reportedly reconsidering Sudheer and contemplating former MLA SCV Naidu instead. Chandrababu Naidu's decision to withhold the names from these constituencies has added to the intrigue, intensifying the campaign in the remaining segments.