Hyderabad: In what could be termed as a political masterstroke, TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has taken unusual decision to field new candidates in 34 constituencies, while denying tickets to 34 sittings in the forthcoming elections. This Naidu’s strategy is totally different from that of KCR, who fielded almost all the sittings in the Telangana Assembly elections held in December 2018. We never seen such a drastic change in the list of candidates recently, observed a political analyst. JC Diwakar Reddy and Muralimohan preferred to stay away from elections as Naidu has given tickets to JC’s son and daughter-in-law of star-turned-politician.
TDP’s list of candidates accommodates 15 new faces in the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in AP while retaining 10 sitting MPs.
In 2014 elections, TDP won in 102 Assembly constituencies and this tally rose further to 127 after 23 YSRCP MLAs defected to Naidu-led party. TDP has announced 34 new candidates considering the local equations. Out of this, 24 new faces will be contesting in constituencies, where TDP is not representing.
As part of the new strategy of Naidu, TDP minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao is contesting from Visakha north instead of Bhimili. Forest minister Shidha Raghava Rao is a strong candidate in his home constituency Darshi. But, Naidu shifted Shidha to Ongole Lok Sabha constituency. Similarly, Naidu also shifted Adinarayana Reddy, marketing minister from Jammalamadugu, to contest in Kadapa MP constituency. Chittoor MLA Satyaprabha to contest in Rajampet Lok Sabha and Undi MLA (West Godavari) Vetukuri Shivarama Raju to be fielded in Narasapuram Lok Sabha constituency.
Naidu has given the ticket to Kidari Sarveshvara Rao’s son Sravan as Rao was killed by Naxals.
Interestingly five Cabinet ministers are not contesting this time. MLC and finance minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu is not contesting in Assembly elections. Deputy CM KE Krishnamurthy opted out of elections but sought a ticket to his son. Similarly, Women Welfare minister Paritala Sunita is too not contesting, but her son will be in the fray.
Naidu has also kept aside V Subba Rao, Zalil Khan, David Raju, Mani Gandhi, Chand Basha and SV Mohan Reddy, who defected from YSRCP.
