Srikakulam: Turpu Kapus, TDP cadres sore over Etcherla candidate

Srikakulam : TurpuKapu community leaders and followers of TDP senior leader Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao and party leader Kalisetti Appala Naidu are sore over selection of candidate for Etcherla Assembly constituency by alliance partner BJP. As part of alliance, the seat has been allotted to BJP which picked a businessman and is local leader Nadikuditi Eswara Rao as joint candidate.

Eswara Rao belongs to Kamma community while in Etcherla constituency, Turpu Kapusform largest chunk of voters. For the last one year, Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao and Kalisetti Appala Naidu both had been making strong pitch for Etcherla ticket. The two leaders belong Turpu Kapu community. But in the wake of alliance with the BJP and changed political circumstances, Etcherla assembly ticket allotted to BJP leader Eswara Rao.

Followers of Venkata Rao, Appala Naidu as well as Turpu Kapu leaders are unable to digest the unexpected political twists in the constituency. Mandal level leaders of TDP in Ranastalam, Laveru, Etcherla and GSigadam are unhappy over the sudden political developments. They have not made up their mind to extend their cooperation to new candidate Eswara Rao. They say it is a difficult task for them to convince leaders and cadres at village level across the assembly constituency within a short span. Party leaders expected ticket to anyone of the two leaders for a long time.

Turpu Kapu leaders also held press conferences in Srikakulam and other parts of the district on Friday and Saturday to express their displeasur over TDP high command’s decision to allot Etcherla to BJP and shifting party senior leader and Turpu Kapu elder Kala Venkata Rao to Cheepurupalli Assembly seat.

Kalisetti Appala Naidu is native of VNPuram village in Ranastalam mandal in Etcherla constituency, which is part of Vizianagaram parliamentary constituency. Kala Venkata Rao is a native of Unukuru village in Regidi mandal in Rajam Assembly seat. He was elected from Etcherla as MLA on TDP ticket and served as minister for energy. He was shifted to Etcherla from Rajam seat in 2009 as the Rajam was reserved for SCs from 2009 elections.

YSRCP and alliance parties completed candidates’ selection but dousing flames of dissent within the party and alliance parnters will be a huge task to local leaders, candidates and high commands of parties.