Vizag: TDP-Jana Sena combine treading cautiously to select candidates

Visakhapatnam: In the smart city of Visakhapatnam, TDP and JSP are considering cautious steps to allot party tickets to right candidates and ensure there are no rebels emerging out of it.

The ruling party YSRCP is announcing the constituency candidates in a swift manner, while the Opposition parties are taking cautious steps to do the same.

While Jana Sena Party and Telugu Desam Party allied with one another, discussions are on whether the BJP will join the TDP-JSP combine in the coming days or not as the JSP has already stitched an alliance with the BJP.

If the BJP also comes forward to ally with them, the leaders of the three parties have to do another tough exercise of adjusting the seats. Perhaps it is for this reason why the TDP is delaying the announcement of candidates.

However, political analysts predict that there will not be any big change as far as the TDP candidates from Visakhapatnam district is concerned.

PGVR Naidu (Ganababu) is certain to contest another time from Visakhapatnam west constituency as he had won the from the constituency twice consecutively both in 2014 and 2019 polls.

In the meantime, Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu will contest as an MLA from Visakhapatnam east constituency. Apparently, there is almost no possibility of change in these two constituencies in the city.

Palla Srinivasa Rao is ready to contest from Gajuwaka constituency and currently he is serving as the Visakhapatnam parliamentary constituency president. There is no scope for him to take a back step unless JSP chief K Pawan Kalyan contests from Gajuwaka constituency. If Pawan Kalyan does not contest from the constituency, Palla Srinivasa Rao is almost certain to be the TDP candidate.

Currently, Ganta Srinivasa Rao is the sitting MLA from Visakhapatnam north constituency. Speculation is rife that Ganta Srinivasa Rao will contest from Bheemunipatnam this time as he never repeats the constituency he contests from for the second consecutive time. However, the MLA had earlier contested from Bheemunipatnam and won in the constituency. Given his strengths, he is unlikely to have any trouble to contest from here again. As constituency in-charge, former MLA Gandi Babji from south constituency is making efforts to contest from here. If the TDP allots seats keeping the alliance with the JSP in view, there is a possibility for the JSP to opt for the south constituency, followed by Gajuwaka and Bhimili constituencies as the leaders of the ruling party, who recently joined the JSP, are eyeing on these constituencies. Also, JSP rural president and former MLA Panchakarla Ramesh Babu is ready to fight from Pendurthi constituency. A huge exercise will have to be carried out to adjust the Jana Sena and TDP seats in Visakhapatnam.

The TDP, which had won four constituencies in the city in the last elections, including east, west, north and south, is planning to win more seats this time.