TDP-BJP-JSP likely to finalise seat-sharing for Srikakulam soon

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its alliance partners Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) are expected to soon agree on seat adjustments in Srikakulam district since the YSRCP has already announced candidates for all Assembly seats and the single Parliament seat in Srikakulam.

TDP already announced candidates for Amadalavalasa (Kuna Ravikumar), Ichchapuram (Bendalam Ashok), Tekkali (Kinjarapu Atchannaidu) and Narasannapeta (Baggu Ramanamurthy). However, It has so far not taken any decision over Palasa, Pathapatnam, Srikakulam and Etcherla seats as JSP and BJP sought at least one ticket among the remaining four segments.

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JSP leader and senior doctor Daneti Sridhar, previously chairperson of non-political Joint Action Committee-Srikakulam district, sought Palasa Assembly ticket. According to sources, JSP high command sent his bio-data to TDP while urging Chandrababu Naidu’s party to leave the seat for JSP.

TDP senior leader Gowthu Sirisha and her supporters insist that Palasa is the home constituency for the Gowthu family for many decades and should not be given to alliance partners. Both TDP and JSP are expected to take a decision very soon after observing the educational qualification, caste equations, financial strength and other points since the candidate has to contest against Minister for Animal Husbandry of YSRC Seediri Appalaraju in the electoral battle in Palasa, one of the key constituencies in the State.

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Srikakulam seat has also become a bone of contention with both TDP and BJP insisting on the ticket. TDP former MLA Gunda Lakshmi Devi’s supporters recently staged a protest in Srikakulam, opposing the proposed allocation of tickets to BJP.

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The Gunda family argued that they had been loyal to the party for the last forty years and the Srikakulam seat cannot be given to alliance partners as TDP has more network in the district headquarters. According to sources, the BJP high command has proposed TDP to allocate Etcherla segment if it cannot leave Srikakulam seat to the saffron party.

Along with followers, BJP senior leader Nadukuditi Eswara Rao had already left for Vijayawada, seeking Etcherla Assembly seat. BJP’s victory in Tirupatipalem and Bantupalli during panchayat elections, polling of over 25,000 votes in all segments during ZPTC elections, and BJP’s 24,500 membership drive in Etcherla have been explained to TDP high command by BJP leaders during seat sharing discussions. Both JSP and BJP leaders are eagerly waiting for TDP’s nod for their proposals.