Flutter over change of YSRCP candidates in Chittoor

Tirupati: The change of candidate for GD Nellore Assembly and Chittoor Lok Sabha constituencies by YSRCP has created flutter in the district. Recently, the party high command announced a swap in the candidates for Assembly and Lok Sabha.

While the incumbent Chittoor MP N Reddeppa’s name was announced as the candidate from GD Nellore (SC) Assembly seat, Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy was chosen as the MP candidate from here.

Party sources said government advisor Mahasamudram Gnanendra Reddy who is from the GD Nellore constituency insisted that party high command should not to field Narayana Swamy from GD Nellore and many others also opposed his candidature.

But the party high command decided to field Narayana Swamy as MP. This has left Narayanaswamy a little unhappy as he is not interested to contest for Lok Sabha. However, he did not openly express his dissent.

Interestingly, both Gnanendra Reddy and Narayana Swamy were once good friends and were helping each other in the elections they contested. Both entered politics as Congress activists and were elected as panchayat samiti presidents, Narayanaswamy from Karvetinagaram and Gnanendra Reddy from G D Nellore.

Gnanendra Reddy was Congress MP in 1989 and 1991 from Chittoor. While Narayana Swamy was elected as MLA from GD Nellore 2014 and 2019 and became Deputy Chief Minister.

These two were not on so friendly terms for various reasons. As a result, Gnanendra Reddy along with many local leaders strongly opposed giving MLA ticket to Narayana Swamy again. Besides YSRCP leaders from four mandals met senior leader Peddireddi Ramachandra Reddy and expressed their opposition to Narayana Swamy. This was believed to be the reason for shifting Narayana Swamy to Chittoor Lok Sabha seat.

Interestingly, it was Narayana Swamy who was responsible for the appointment of Gnanendra Reddy as advisor to the government on NRI affairs.

It is learnt that Gnanendra Reddy and his group alleged that Narayana Swamy created differences among many castes, including the dominant Reddy community, forcing them to oppose Narayana Swamy’s nomination from G D Nellore again.

They also alleged that Narayana Swamy forced many leaders to give statements in favour of him and allow him to contest from GD Nellore. His supporters still maintain that he would contest for Assembly seat from GD Nellore itself, and not Lok Sabha seat.

They also said that Reddeppa is not a local and fielding him for GD Nellore Assembly seat will give advantage to TDP.

Meanwhile, YSRCP leadership asked Chittoor district president and MLC K RJ Bharat to send a report on the opinion of party leaders in GD Nellore and Chittoor regarding the change of candidates. Bharat also contacted many leaders to collect the views, party sources said. It now remains to be seen if the party would re-consider its decision or not.