Buddha Venkanna, Jaleel lobby for Vja-West seat

In the run-up to the upcoming general elections, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is witnessing internal competition among its leaders for the coveted Vijayawada West Assembly Segment candidature. Notably, former MLC Buddha Venkateswara Rao (Venkanna) and former MLA Jaleel Khan are both vying for the TDP candidature.
Former MLC and TDP State general secretary Buddha Venkanna showcased his political strength in the Vijayawada West Assembly constituency on Thursday, seeking endorsement for his candidature. He appealed to the TDP leadership to assign either the Vijayawada West or Anakapalli Parliament segment to him. On the other hand, former MLA Jaleel Khan declared on social media that if the TDP does not grant him the seat, his followers will resort to agitation.
In the previous elections, both leaders competed for the Vijayawada West constituency candidature, ultimately leading to the TDP leadership allocating the seat to Jaleel Khan’s daughter, Shabana Khatur. Since the last general elections, the two leaders have maintained separate factions within the constituency. Their lack of coordination in the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation elections resulted in the party’s defeat.
Once again, both leaders find themselves in contention for the Assembly ticket. However, owing to the alliance between TDP and the Jana Sena Party, there is speculation that this segment might be allocated to the Jana Sena Party. Despite this, two senior TDP leaders are vying for the Vijayawada West segment. Buddha Venkanna, in particular, has actively pursued the West segment candidature by performing rituals at the Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri in the city.
Simultaneously, a controversial video of former MLA Jaleel Khan has surfaced on social media, sparking debates within the TDP leadership. In the video, Khan threatened that his followers would resort to drastic measures if he was not granted the Vijayawada West segment ticket.
Former MLC Buddha Venkanna, as part of his application for the Vijayawada West seat, spoke to the media, expressing his intent to seek the support of party chief Chandrababu Naidu and JSP Chief Pawan Kalyan. However, he clarified that he would respect and abide by whatever decision taken by TDP president Chandrababu Naidu.
Furthermore, Venkanna cautioned rival group leaders against making baseless allegations against Chandrababu Naidu, emphasising his qualifications and dedication to the party. He asserted, “I have all the qualifications to contest from the Vijayawada West constituency. I have tirelessly worked for many years to strengthen the party, including organising a rally to address issues related to MP Kesineni Nani.”