Dr Thomas confident of defeating Deputy CM in GD Nellore seat

Tirupati : Telugu Desam Party is once again fielding a new candidate from Gangadhara Nellore (GD Nellore) reserved constituency by choosing IVF scientist and fertility specialist Dr VM Thomas. GD Nellore constituency was established from 2009 elections prior to which it was part of Vepanjeri constituency. In Vepanjeri, TDP could win only twice - in 1983 and 1994, while in the last three elections held in GD Nellore, it was defeated.

Significantly, the party fielded former MLA Gandhi in GD Nellore in 2009, G Kuthuhalamma in 2014 and A Harikrishna in 2019 elections but all were defeated. This time also, the party brought in a fresh candidate, Thomas, much early and made him as constituency in-charge. He has been actively working in the segment for the last eight months and meeting various sections of people to garner their support.

As an embryologist, Thomas has won many laurels in India and abroad. After working in several reputed hospitals as IVF embryologist, he started Chennai Fertility and Research Institute in Chennai, which was later expanded to other cities also and trained more than 5,000 IVF doctors.

Dr Thomas said, “I am equally interested in politics and party Chief N Chandrababu Naidu has invited me to come to the constituency and made me in-charge. I have not entered politics for money, but want to work for the people”.

Apart from focusing on the ‘Super six’ assurances given by party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Dr Thomas is assuring the people that a good industry will be set up in GD Nellore that can provide employment opportunities to the youth. Efforts will be put to bring pharma, IT and automobile industries to the constituency, he added. Besides these, his other promises include road and drainage facilities for every village, drinking water connection to every house, if possible safe drinking water project for every village etc., basic facilities will be provided that were neglected till now.

He even wants to get one degree or engineering college in GD Nellore besides 50-100 bedded hospitals at every mandal headquarters. The main thrust will be on development of the constituency. The people are receiving these ideas in a positive manner and assuring their support, he maintained.

“The people gave two chances to Narayana Swamy and even made him deputy CM. But there is large scale negativity against him. For this reason, several YSRCP workers in large numbers are joining TDP in every village”, Thomas averred.

Claiming that ‘Raa Kadali Raa’ programme held in GD Nellore recently was a grand success, Dr Thomas recalled that about two lakh people attended the programme and such a massive programme was never organised so far in the constituency. It clearly shows people’s large scale support to TDP in the coming elections, he pointed out.