Telugu Desam Party supremo Chandrababu Naidu appears to be not enthusiastic to field candidate against TRS nominee in Palair Assembly byelections. TRS has announced the name of R&B minister Tummala Nageswar Rao as its candidate in the byelection necessitated by the sudden death Congress MLA Ramreddy Venkata Reddy.
The district TDP has favored party’s former Khammam MP Nama Nageswar Rao as the candidate to take on Tummala. Both, Tummala and Nama led rival factions when Tummala was in TDP. Even TDP workers from the Palair constituency, who met on Monday, decided to support Nama Nageswar Rao. Nama was also present at the meeting. Emerging from the meeting Nama said he was ready to contest the election, provided the party finalizes his name.
But, in today’s meeting with Telangana TDP leaders Naidu is said to have shown no enthusiasm to enter the fray. He had left the matter to the Telangana TDP stating that state committee should be in a position to take decision autonomously. It was for the first time Naidu spoke of autonomy in the selection of a candidate. This was disclosed by party floor leader in Assembly Revanth Reddy after the meeting. He said party president had asked the state committee to take a decision on whether to contest the elections or not. In the meeting Naidu is said to have referred to the convention of leaving the seat to the deceased family members.
It clearly shows that Naidu is not keen on giving tough fight to TRS in Palair.Because, in Narayankhed byelection, held in February, Naidu did not follow the convention of leaving the seat to the members of Congress MLA Kista Reddy, who died untimely. TDP fielded Vijaypal Reddy in Khed, who forfeited deposit. In fact, Palair is the one constituency where TDP can give tough fight to the ruling party because the party has a right candidate, who is stronger enough to take on the mighty TRS both in terms of money and influence.
Is Naidu scared of facing another miserable defeat? or is there something more than that meets the eye?
In this context what APCC president Raghuvira Reddy said today draws people’s attention. He said Naidu’s cash-for-vote file was on the table of T-chief minister Chandrababu Naidu waiting for his clearance. If Naidu rubs KCR on wrong side, the T-CM might would clear the file for the prosecution of Andhra CM.
Is Naidu under the impression that any serious attempt to defeat Tummala by fielding leaders like Nama Nageswar Rao would anger the TRS supremo?
