SNCN ACHARYULU
Hyderabad
TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu is likely to follow the example of BRS President Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in the next Assembly elections. Like KCR, Chandrababu is also planning to contest from two constituencies.
KCR decided to contest from his constituency Gajwel and also from Kamareddy. Similarly, Chandrababu is also thinking about contesting from Kuppam and from another constituency. For this, Chandrababu is reportedly searching for a safe constituency in Guntur and Krishna districts.
The ruling YSR Congress has taken as a matter of prestige to defeat Chandrababu in Kuppam. Compared to earlier times, Chandrababu is steadily losing ground in Kuppam. The YSRC won all seats in Kuppam in local elections.
In fact, during the last Assembly elections itself, the YSRC gave a shock to Chandrababu. During the counting of votes in Kuppam, the YSRC secured a lead over Chandrababu in the first two rounds. This shocked Chandrababu and the TDP.
Compared to the 2019 Assembly elections the YSRC has strengthened its base in Kuppam. Chandrababu’s arch rival YSRC Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy is concentrating on Kuppam to defeat the TDP chief.He is taking more interest in Kuppam than in his own constituency Punganur.
In these circumstances, Chandrababu seems to have decided not to take any risk in Kuppam and so he is planning to contest from another constituency too.
Meanwhile, the YSRC is tightening its noose around TDP in Kuppam and is concentrating on defeating Chandrababu. During the last Assembly elections, there was a strong rumour that Chandrababu may shift to Tirupati and field his son Nara Lokesh from Kuppam.
But now, Chandrababu is searching for a safe Assembly constituency in the Krishna and Godavari districts. TDP sources said that Chandrababu may choose a constituency in Krishna district where Kammas have a strong presence.
It is not new for senior leaders to contest from two constituencies. But for Chandrababu, this will be the first time he will be contesting from two places.
