‘TDP has 50/50 winning chances in Sullurpet’

Nellore : Though TDP pinning its hopes of winning the election with the prevalence of anti-incumbency against the ruling party, ‘wrong’ candidate’s selection, lack of proper leadership and other factors may pull down the chances of party’s victory in Sullurpet SC Assembly segment. Party seniors like former MLA Parasa Venkataratnaiah and others being unsupportive also made the winning not so easy for TDP here when compared to other constituencies in the district.

YSRCP had fielded sitting MLA Kiliveti Sanjeevaiah, while TDP inducted former Congress MLA and present TDP Sullurupet in-charge Nelavala Subrahmanyam's daughter, a doctor-cum-politician Nelavala Vijayasree.

It should be recalled that for the first time in Nellore district’s history, TDP inducted three women candidates - Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy (Kovur), Kurugondla Lakshmi Sai Priya (Venkatagiri) and Nelavala Vijayasree (Sullurupet) in 2024 elections. Even though there is serious anti-incumbency against sitting MLA Kiliveti Sanjeevaiah, YSRCP had no option, except renominate him for third time, for various reasons. Keliveti was elected in 2014 and 2019 on YSRCP banner from Sullurupet Assembly.

Political circles say that the TDP high command was under pressure in nominating candidature of Nelavala Vijayasree by ignoring proposals of local leadership to filed either Parasa Venkataratnaiah or Nelavala Subrahmanyam.

TDP local leader, on the condition of anonymity, observed that the party had committed a blunder in finalising N Vijayasree’s candidature against the opinion of local cadre, who believe that this will lead to the hattrick-win for K Sanjeevaiah. There might be 70 per cent winning chances for TDP, if only it replaced Kurugondla Lakshmi Sai Priya with either Nelavala Subrahmanyam or Parasa Venkataratnaiah in Venkatagiri even in the last minute, he opined.

He also observed that TDP’s promise of free travel for women in RTC services had not shown much impact because 70 per cent of people will travel in passenger trains that runs frequently between Sullurupet-Chennai, which costs just Rs 20.

On the other hand, TDP is banking on the promise given by its chief N Chandrababu Naidu of opening of Pulicot Lake Mukha Dwaram, addressing the dispute between the fishermen of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Besides, fishermen imposing ‘durai’ (penalty) against the ruling party in the constituency also turns favourable to TDP to secure victory even with a least margin of votes. Another plus point for the TDP was that most of fishermen supports BJP, with which it has an election alliance in 2024 elections.