Nellore: Somireddy’s future hangs in balance

Nellore : With just a day remaining for the notification to elections, the TDP is expected to soon announce its third and final list of contesting candidates for the ensuing elections and the political future of senior party leader and politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy hangs in balance.

It may be recalled that Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy's name was not found in the two lists earlier announced by party high command as party chief N Chandrababu Naidu has not taken a decision regarding the party candidate for Sarvepalle.

The TDP is keen on winning the election in all 10 Assembly constituencies including Sarvepalle constituency and Nellore MP seat in the district. Giving priority to winnability of the candidates, the party is prepared to replace even seniors in some constituencies.

The TDP has announced names of candidates for all constituencies in the earlier two lists except Sarvepalle. The candidates already announced are: Ponguru Narayana (Nellore city), Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy (Nellore Rural), Kavya Krishna Reddy (Kavali), Kakarla Suresh (Udayagiri), Pasim Sunilkumar (Guduru), Nelavala Vijayasree (Sulurupet) in the first list, while Kurukondla Lakshmi Priya (Venkatagiri) Anam Ramanarayana Reddy(Atmakur), Vemireddy Prasanthi Reddy (Kovur) and Vemireddy Prabhakara Reddy for Nellore MP seat.

According to sources, during his Yuva Galam Padayatra, TDP national secretary Nara Lokesh has secured inputs that it will be a mammoth task to defeat YSRCP candidate and Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy if Somireddy is selected as party candidate for Sarvepalle in the 2024 elections.

Sources also point out that at the time when Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and his wife Prasanthi Reddy joined the TDP, some party leaders proposed the name of Poluboyina Roopkumar Yadav instead of Somireddy for Sarvepalle.

Roopkumar Yadav is the paternal uncle of Nellore city YSRCP MLA Poluboyina Anil Kumar Yadav. He became Deputy Mayor of Nellore Municipal Corporation after getting elected in the municipal elections. It may be recalled that TDP chief Naidu while welcoming Roopkumar Yadav into the party, described that the latter’s entry will boost the strength of the party in Nellore district. The TDP is now reportedly considering his candidature for Sarvepalle. The name of Pellakuru Srinivasulu Reddy, educationist and close follower of Somireddy is also being considered for the constituency. Srinvasulu Reddy worked for Somireddy during the last Assembly elections.

However, a senior politician is of the view that Somireddy will be a better candidate for the TDP than Poluboyina.

Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy was elected twice from Sarvepalle constituency on behalf of the TDP. He defeated Congress candidate Chitturu Venkata Sesha Reddy in 1994 and 1999, with a majority of 33,775 votes and 16,092 votes respectively. However, Somireddy lost the election four times from the constituency.

In 2004, he was defeated by Congress candidate Adala Prabhakar Reddy with a margin of 7,625 votes and with a margin of 10,284 votes in the hands of same candidate in 2009.

Subsequently, he lost to YSRCP nominee Kakani Govardhan Reddy in 2014 with a margin of 5,446 votes and by a margin of 13,793 votes in 2019 elections.