Is TDP AP president and north Andhra strongman Kinjarapu Atchen Naidu slowly beginning to assert himself? Is he trying to slowly edge out all his detractors within the Telugu Desam Party in Srikakulam district? Is he trying to project alternative leadership in the district to achieve complete control over the party in North Andhra?

Reports from Srikakulam say that he is slowly marginalizing former AP TDP president Kala Venkat Rao. He is promoting Kala’s rival K Appala Naidu in Etcherla assembly constituency. In neighboring Palasa, he is promoting Vajje Babu Rao in place of Gouthu Sirisha. She comes from the illustrious family of Gouthu Latchanna. Her father Shyama Sundar Sivaji too was a legislator several times. Now, Atchen is giving more importance to Vajje Babu Rao.

In Palakonda, he is said to be promoting a female NGO activist in place of Nimmaka Jayakrishna palakonda . A similar drama is playing out in Rajam constituency, where former speaker Prathibha Bharathi’s daughter Greeshma is being edged out. Ditto with Pathapatnam where Atchen is promoting realtor Mamidi Govinda Rao in place of Kalamata Venkta Rao.

One interesting thing is that all those that Atchen are promoting are close to him and are known to be his supporters. More interestingly, all those he is trying to edge out are said to be close to Nara Lokesh. This is giving rise to whether Atchen is targeting party general secretary Lokesh? As of now Atchen is maintaining studious silence.