After a high drama, Rayapati gets Narsaraopet Narasaraopet Lok Sabha seat again

Guntur: The TDP high command has pacified disgruntled MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and on Thursday cleared his candidature for Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency in the ensuing elections.

Sambasiva Rao, the sitting MP from Narasaraopeta, expressed his dissatisfaction as the TDP high command failed to clear his name for the Lok Sabha constituency till Thursday.

Finally on Thursday evening, Chief Minister and TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu confirmed his candidature for Narasaraopeta LS seat. This is the seventh time veteran leader Rayapati will be contesting for Lok Sabha.

When Y S Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister of AP, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao was Guntur MP and his brother Srinivas bagged the MLC post. Rayapati Mohan Sai Krishna served as Guntur Mayor.

Now, MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao sought MLA ticket to his son Rayapati Ranga Rao for Sattenapalli Assembly constituency. However, State Assembly Speaker Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao raised objections over it.

Earlier, Rayapati Sambasiva Rao's brother Dr Srinivas started election campaign to contest in the Guntur-Krishna district Graduates MLC constituency. However, the TDP high command decided not to contest in the Graduates constituency and Srinivas was disappointed.

Following the denial of MLC seat to his brother and the TDP high command taking time to even finalise his candidature for Lok Sabha seat, Rayapati expressed his dissatisfaction to the party leadership. However IT Minister Nara Lokesh and MP Sujana Chowdary telephoned Sambasiva Rao and pacified him.

Later, speaking to the media, MLC Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad said MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao will continue in the TDP. TDP ensured justice to his family, he said. Dokka said, "We will work together and try to make Chandrababu Naidu CM for another term."

Rayapati Ranga Rao also hailed the TDP's decision of allocating ticket for Narasaraopet LS constituency to Sambasiva Rao.