Nellore: Veteran leader Somireddy finally gets nod from TDP chief

Nellore : With the TDP finally announcing the candidature of senior party leader and politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy for Sarvepalle, politics is hotting up in the constituency.

After prolonged discussions with the JSP leaders, TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu announced the name of Somireddy as the party candidate for the Assembly constituency.

Somireddy (68) is a native of Allipuram village in Nellore rural mandal and comes from a farmer’s family.

He had started his political career in the Congress party and served as Chairman of Nellore District Cooperative Central Bank. Later, after legendary actor N T Rama Rao set up the TDP, he had joined the party. He got elected as TDP MLA from Sarvepalle constituency twice defeating Congress nominee Chitturu Venkata Seshareddy in 1994 and 1999 by a margin of 33,775 and 16,092 votes respectively.

Somireddy had served as CMEY Minister in the 1999 Cabinet of Chandrababu Naidu and was inducted as Agriculture Minister in Naidu’s 2014 Cabinet.

Somireddy lost to Congress candidate Adala Prabhakara Reddy twice in 2004 and 2009 by a margin of 7,625 and 10,284 votes.

In 2012, following the directions of TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Somireddy contested from Kovuru Assembly constituency and lost to YSRCP rival Nallapureddy Prasannakumar Reddy by a margin of 41,391 votes.

Later, he lost the Sarvepalle seat to Kakani Govardhan Reddy twice with the margin of 5, 446 votes (2014) and 13,793 votes (2019).

Taking into consideration, services rendered to the TDP for a long period by Somireddy, Chandrababu Naidu provided him MLC seat and post of Agriculture Minister in 2014.

Somireddy had so far contested six times - 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 from Sarvepalle constituency, and he is testing his fortune for the 7th time in 2024 elections.

TDP leaders are hopeful that in the wake of anti-incumbency “prevailing” against the ruling YSRCP, Somireddy could get elected in the ensuing elections with the support being extended by alliance partners JSP and BJP.