Srikakulam: Rebel trouble haunts TDP Assembly, LS candidates

Srikakulam: Differences cropped up among TDP leaders in the wake of selection of candidates which may impact winning chances of Srikakulam and Pathapatnam MLA candidates Gondu Sankar and Mamidi Govinda Rao and also TDP Srikakulam MP candidate Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

Srikakulam assembly constituency, TDP announced its candidate as Gondu Sankar. Soon after the declaration of the candidate, former minister Gunda Appala Suryanarayana and his wife and former MLA Gunda Laxmidevi strongly opposed the decision and staged agitation along with their followers. On the occasion, they warned that they will contest as Independent candidates and damage the winning chances of Srikakulam Assembly and Lok Sabha candidates Gondu Sankar and Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

They also said that during 2019 elections, the TDP MP won with a narrow margin of 6,653 votes and now they can split more than 10,000 votes in the coming elections.

For Pathapatnam Assembly constituency, TDP announced its candidate as Mamidi Govinda Rao, a trader. On learning about it, former MLA Kalamata Venkata Ramana expressed his displeasure and announced to contest as an Independent candidate.

He also warned that he will split the TDP votes and damage the winning chances of the MLA candidate Mamidi Govinda Rao and Srikakulam MP candidate Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

On the other hand, Turpu Kapu community leaders and voters are sore over the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance denying ticket for the community elder and senior TDP leader Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao from Etcherla Assembly constituency and also shifting him to Chipurupalli Assembly constituency.

Voters representing the Turpu Kapu community constitute a majority of total voters in Srikakulam Lok Sabha constituency.